Bulawayo gears up for gemstone boom: Minister Ncube tours School of Mine’s US$1.1 million training centre

THE Bulawayo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Judith Ncube, yesterday toured the US$1.1 million state-of-the-art gemstone cutting and polishing training centre at the Zimbabwe School of Mines (ZSM).

Minister Ncube’s appreciation tour underscores the Government’s commitment to enhancing gemstone value addition and beneficiation by establishing cutting and polishing centres across the country.

The initiative aligns with the Minerals Mining Corporation of Zimbabwe’s (MMCZ) efforts to establish gemstone buying centres nationwide, aiming to grow the sector into a US$1 billion industry by 2030. Zimbabwe is rich in semi-precious and coloured stones such as aventurine, beryl, talc, antimony, aquamarine, and amethyst, which are primarily used for jewellery manufacturing and aesthetic purposes.

“I am excited with the state of equipment I have seen today at this school. The whole idea is value addition to the stones which will in turn contribute towards achievement of an upper middle income economy by 2030. As a region and province, our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will also grow,” said Minister Ncube.

Minister Ncube toured the Zimbabwe School of Mines (ZSM)’s Metallurgical and Gemstone/Lapidary workshop laboratories. Notably, the lapidary equipment focuses on cutting, shaping, and polishing gemstones, allowing for intricate designs and maximising their beauty. This first phase of a generous donation includes equipment procurement and installation: trim saws, faceting units, dual grinders, wet belt sanders, calibrating machines, cabochon machines, and bead drilling machines.

In an interview, ZSM Principal Edwin Gwaze stressed that historically, Zimbabwe has exported rough gemstones, primarily benefiting international importers rather than the nation itself. This new equipment signifies a shift towards value addition through gemstone processing within the country.

“This lab is a vehicle towards achieving the country’s vision because we are now adding value to our stones which can be as much as 10 times when compared to an unpolished stone. We are therefore excited by the Minister’s visit which is also proof that Government is committed to the success of this investment at the school,” he said.-chroncile