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The Government banned chrome ore exports in a move aimed at promoting value addition of the mineral and employment creation locally.
Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) chief executive Mr Wellington Takavarasha said their members stopped mining chrome for export when Government imposed a ban on the mineral’s exportation, leaving the miners with more than 25 000 tonnes of chrome ore stockpiles.
“When the ban on chrome ore exports was imposed some of our members had the ore, which at the moment is lying idle. Once the ban is lifted, we will start exporting,” he said.
The ZMF has been lobbying the Government to lift the ban on lumpy chrome exports saying the move was tantamount to a total shutdown of entire industry.
“We are very much prepared to dispose of the stockpiles of chrome that we have as ZMF once Government scraps the export ban. Government has already indicated that it is still trying to work out on modalities to scrap the ban,” said Mr Takavarasha.
Last month, Mines and Mining Development Deputy Minister Mr Gift Chimanikire said his ministry was working on modalities to temporarily lift the chrome ore export ban as Government’s objectives for the ban were still to be realised.
He said his ministry had already instructed its regional offices to assess the situation on the ground to establish the stockpiles being held by miners throughout the country.
Initially, the chrome ore export ban was meant to promote small-scale chrome miners to set up more smelters around the country but it has, however, had adverse effects on the intended beneficiaries.
It is also hoped that before the ban is temporarily waived, Government will decide on a fee that would be charged on all exports. So far, there are eight smelters in the country, with the one at Zimasco reportedly being the only one operational.
Smelting plants refine the ore and produce semi-finished products such as ferrochrome that have higher value.
Small-scale miners have been lobbying for the chrome ore export ban to be lifted, considering that the country does not have the capacity to add value at the moment. In 2010, 600 000 tonnes of chrome ore were produced in the country, but expectations to surpass the figure have since been dashed by the export ban.
Online Reporter