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Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter
THE Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) has drafted a legal framework that seeks to empower small-scale miners to extract and trade in semi-precious gemstones as Government seeks to boost mineral output.
Of late, there have been reports of semi-precious stones being discovered in some parts of Mashonaland West province such as Karoi and Hurungwe where villagers were mining the stones without going through the normal processes that will ensure the country benefits at large.
Responding to questions during an induction workshop for the Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development in Bulawayo yesterday, MMCZ general manager Mr Tongai Muzenda said they have drafted a Statutory Instrument which has since been submitted to Government.
“We have since drafted and submitted a Statutory Instrument to the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe so that we regularise the mining of semi-precious stones across the whole value chain to benefit local communities from which the resources are being extracted and the country at large,” he said.
In an interview later, Mr Muzenda said at present no one was benefiting from the extraction of those semi precious stones as they were being side marketed to unscrupulous dealers.
“The semi precious stones are being sold to unscrupulous dealers that smuggle and export the stones in their raw form.
“We suspect the semi-precious stones are being smuggled into Mozambique and probably Zambia, among others so we want that to stop forthwith,” he said.
In the draft S.I., Mr Muzenda said MMCZ has made recommendations for Special Grants to people who were mining the semi-precious stones as well as allocating mining claims or issuing Exclusive Prospecting Orders.
“In that vein this benefits the local communities and the country at large,” he said, adding that the semi-precious stones that have been discovered in Mashonaland West were varied and these included amethyst, agate, aquamarine and alexandrite.
It is believed that Zimbabwe has vast deposits of the gemstones with an estimated value of $20 billion. The semi-precious minerals are largely used for jewellery manufacturing and decorative purposes.
“If we are to properly market those resources, as a country we can beneficiate them before exporting them and get good value,” said Mr Muzenda.
Asked where they would export the semi-precious stones to, the MMCZ boss said: “Our first bet, what I would prefer but obviously I will discuss with my team, is to get a beneficiated product so that the guys there can even set up factories, which then process those into rings or bangles and then export them into the region.”
Mr Muzenda noted that at present there was a bigger market for semi-precious stones in China and before the country exports them, MMCZ would carry out proper market intelligence.
Zimbabwe has vast deposits of semi precious minerals in other areas that include Gutu, Mutoko, Zvishavane, Mutare, Mt Darwin, Rusape and Odzi. — @okazunga.
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu