DILI (TOP) - Elegant Marble Group, Limited (51%) and Murak Rai Timor, E.P. (49%) or EMG-MRT Ilimanu, Lda decided to invest $51 million to mine marble in Ilimanu, Manatuto.
This investment initiative is proven by officially receiving the Benefit Declaration Certificate (DB) No. 05/VIII/2026, through a process facilitated and accompanied by TradeInvest Timor-Leste. The awarding of the certificate was held at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Coordinator for Economic Affairs, Minister of Tourism and Environment, Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, on August 25 in Farol-Díli.
According to information that The Oe-Kusi Post (TOP) accessed on the official website of TradeInvest Timor-Leste, the award of this certificate marks an important step for the company in the process of development and implementation of investment projects in the exploration and development of marble resources in Timor-Leste.
EMG-MRT Ilimanu, Lda. is a consortium comprising Elegant Marble Group, Limitada (51%) and Murak Rai Timor, E.P. (49%), and is registered under company registration number 1420153. The company plans to develop an integrated marble industry platform in the Ilimanu area of Manatuto Municipality. The proposed project covers approximately 16.23 km², or 1,623 hectares, encompassing Uma Kaduak and Lacumesac Villages in Laclo Administrative Post and Iliheu Village in Manatuto Administrative Post.
The company has also obtained Exploration and Evaluation Licence (EEL) Certificate No. LPP/2025/016 from the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources.
According to the geological assessment presented by the company, the Ilimanu area has significant marble resource potential, with an estimated volume of more than 125 million cubic metres. Geological investigations have classified the marble as “Calcitic in Nature and classified as Grade A,” with an estimated inferred resource of approximately 99.4 million bank cubic metres (BCM).
The proposed project represents a total investment of approximately US$51 million and is planned to be implemented in three phases. The investment is expected to support the development of Timor-Leste’s domestic marble processing industry through the establishment of industrial facilities and a distribution network serving both national and international markets.
Based on the company’s projections, the project has the potential to generate significant financial returns. Estimated annual profit is projected at US$3–3.5 million in the first phase, US$4.5–5.2 million in the second phase, and US$8.0–9.6 million in estimated annual net profit in the final phase.
Beyond its financial potential, the investment is expected to contribute to economic diversification, employment creation, technology development and transfer, and the strengthening of Timor-Leste’s position in regional and international markets.
It may also help reduce reliance on imported marble products by strengthening domestic processing and productive capacity.
As part of the investment assessment process, TradeInvest Timor-Leste, through a Technical Committee comprising representatives of relevant government institutions, conducted a technical evaluation and a site verification visit to the proposed project area. Following the assessment and consideration of the company’s compliance with the applicable requirements, TradeInvest finalized its report and recommendation for consideration by the competent authority.
Consequently, on 25 August 2026, the official ceremony was held for the presentation of Declaration of Benefits Certificate No. 05/VIII/2026 to EMG-MRT Ilimanu, Lda. The certificate provides the company with clarity regarding the investment benefits and facilities available under the applicable legal framework and subject to the conditions governing the project.
The granting of the certificate reflects the commitment of the Government of Timor-Leste and TradeInvest Timor-Leste to facilitating private investment through a transparent, structured, and legally grounded process. It also demonstrates the Government’s continued efforts to attract productive investment that can strengthen the industrial sector, create employment, develop local productive capacity, and support the diversification and sustainable growth of Timor-Leste’s economy.
