Russia based world top diamond producer by volume, Alrosa
and Chinese firm Anjin have been licensed to extract gems in Chiadzwa diamond
fields as the Government seeks to exploit its minerals in terms of the
Transitional Stabilisation Programme and recently unveiled Diamond policy, a
Cabinet Minister has said.
Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando said
Alrosa and Anjin will join Zimbabwe Consolidated Mining Company that is already
extracting diamonds in Chiadzwa as well as Murowa diamonds in Zvishavane.
Minister Chitando said this in an interview on Monday evening during a Star FM
radio programme .
“There are four companies that are allowed to undertake
diamond production. They are ZCDC, Murowa diamonds, Anjin and Alrosa. Any
company that wish to undertake diamond production in Zimbabwe will have to do
so in a Joint Venture with these two, (Anjin and Alrosa.) What it means is that
so far at the beginning of this year we had two diamond producers, Murowa and
ZCDC. As part of the implementation of the diamond policy, Anjin are now back
at the Chiadzwa area and right now as we talk there are on the verge of
commencing production. By end of July there will be in full production and we
will have a function to officially commission the new production,” said
Minister Chitando.
“Then Alrosa, an agreement will be signed next week,
between Government and Alrosa, which is from Russia, they have already opened
an office in Zimbabwe which will be officially opened next week. So we now have
two players which were not there at the beginning of the year and the whole
objective is to unpack the diamond potential of this country and produce the
target of 10 million carats by the year 2023.”
Minister Chitando said ZCDC was mining in Chiadzwa in terms
of the law.
He was responding to inquiries that ZCDC might be in
contempt of the Supreme Court which dismissed its appeal against Mbada diamonds
which was challenging its removal from Marange. Herald
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