adminDevuli Range.
“We have not given licences for the mining of diamonds in Bikita. Those who are there are doing exploration work,” he said.
A consortium of Chinese and Zimbabwean firms registered as Nan Jiang Africa Resources Ltd has already applied to the ministry for a licence to mine diamonds in Bikita.
When the Herald visited Bikita recently, Nan Jiang Africa Resources had started building offices and erecting a plant. Heavy duty machinery could also be seen at the site although some of it looked old.
Government recently expressed concern that the company had set up structures before it was granted a mining licence. The discovery of diamonds in Masvingo propels the country to the league of leading diamond producers in the world.
With mining activities at Chiadzwa alone, Zimbabwe was already considered the world’s third largest diamond producer.
There are several companies mining diamonds at Chiadzwa among them Mbada Diamonds, Marange Resources, Anjin Investments and the Diamond Mining Corporation which are in partnership with the Government’s mining arm, the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation.
Online Reporter