Diamond mining firms maintain momentum in production

DIAMOND mining firms in the country recorded increases in production levels since 2020 and to maintain the momentum, exploration projects are at various levels, a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development report has revealed.

Zimbabwe has set a target to achieve a US$12 billion mining industry by 2023, with the local diamond sector expected to contribute US$1 billion to the target.

This is a clear reflection of the importance of diamond mining as key to the attainment of the national vision of a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income economy by the year 2030.

The report was produced after Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development, in collaboration with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, diamond producers, the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) and civil society organisations (CSOs) embarked on a self-assessment of the diamond sector to gauge if the country was compliant with the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KPCS).

The initiative emanated from a resolution that was made by the Committee on 26th July 2021 to set up a sub-Committee with the sole mandate of conducting an inquiry into the diamond sector, in particular, to assess its level of compliance with the KPCS.

The four-diamond mining companies visited were Alrosa Private Limited, Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC), RZM Murowa Private Limited and Anjin Investments Private Limited.

According to the report tabled on Tuesday, in 2020, ZCDC produced 1 375 455 carats.
Production levels increased during the first-half of 2021 with production levels yielding 1 410 570 carats.

By 30th November 2021, ZCDC had produced 3 691 731 carats, the report said.

ZCDC indicated that it was in the process of ramping up its production and this would be achieved through exploration in the Marange area.

RZM Murowa located in Zvishavane has the capacity to produce 600 000 carats a year and 80 percent of the diamonds are of gem quality, noted the report.

“The sorting of Murowa’s diamonds is done in Harare and 10 percent of the diamonds are sold locally to cutters and polishers while they were being traded with Antwerp,” it said.

On Anjin, the committee said the mining entity was embarking on a re-building exercise after its operations were disrupted in February 2016.

“The company resumed on-site operations in 2020 and for the period January to December 2020, it produced a total of 724, 497.92 carats.

“For 2021, the company did not produce anything and was focused more on exploration activities.

However, at peak, the company has a capacity to produce 7 million carats per year,” reads part of the report.

The report noted that Anjin, ZCDC and Murowa diamonds registered their intentions to increase production capacities, and they were actively involved in exploration work.

“Both Anjin and ZCDC were conducting exploration in the Marange area, while Murowa was engaging in exploration activities in the Sese communal lands in Masvingo Province.

“Alrosa has not yet begun production but was actively involved in exploration work in the Chipinge and Bubi Districts, at the time of the Committee’s visit.”

Overall, the committee said the self-assessment programme achieved its intended objective, that is gauging whether Zimbabwe’s diamond sector was still compliant with the KPCS requirements.

“Generally, the country’s level of compliance with KPCS requirements was good.

However, more work should be done towards addressing the gaps identified during the self-assessment. To this end, the stakeholders acknowledged the need to constantly work together as a team, in light of the fact that Zimbabwe would be assuming chairmanship of the KPCS in 2023.

“This will enable the policymakers to get accurate and timely information of activities in the diamond sector so that where necessary, corrective action can be taken.”

Minister Monica Mutsvangwa
In her post-Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the KPCS team is already in the country and encouraged stakeholders to co-operate.-The Chronicle