Murowa backs Zim on diamond sales

Chiadzwa area and use the proceeds to improve livelihoods of the people.
Murowa Diamonds managing director Niels Kristensen said that the mining company fully supports the country’s efforts to market its gems.
“RioTinto has actively been working to support Zimbabwe in resolving the problem,” he said.
“It is important for the country that it starts selling its alluvial diamonds,” he said.
Murowa Diamonds is a subsidiary of Rio Tinto.
Mr Kristensen said Murowa had participated at various fora in support of Zimbabwe’s right to exploit and trade its diamonds.
“We are doing all we can to resolve the problem,” he said.
“I have travelled with the Minister of Mines and Mining Development and took part at conferences where we were calling for Zimbabwe’s right to sell its diamonds,” he said.
He said prior to the Kimberley Process (KP) ruling in Israel last year, which gave the country the nod to sell, Murowa had also severely suffered from the ban.
“We have been affected by the diamond trade ban in the past,” he added.
The comments come as Western countries are frantically trying to maintain a stranglehold on the three mining firms currently exploiting the alluvial diamonds at Chiadzwa.
Mines Minister Obert Mpofu recently accused foreign owned firms operating in the country of supporting the trade ban.
Due to the trading suspension, Marange Resources, Mbada Diamonds and Anjin are mining and stockpiling the rough stones.
This has frustrated hopes of the Southern African country whose economy is now heavily dependent on the mining sector. – New Ziana.