(Last Updated on December 16, 2012 by Editor)
ZIMBABWE – GOVERNMENT has awarded a Ghanaian company a licence to mine diamonds at Chiadzwa in partnership with the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation.
Ge Nyame is now on the ground carrying out exploration work and mining activities are expected to start in February next year. GeNyame means “with God”.
The Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation chairman Mr Goodwills Masimirembwa confirmed the development in an interview on Thursday. “Negotiations with them started about a year ago and they are now on the ground doing some exploration work,” he said.
“They are in partnership with the ZMDC on a 5050 percent basis and as we speak, we have installed processing equipment. Some more equipment is being imported and mining is expected to commence in February next year.”
Mr Edward Dube chairs the Ge Nyame board. When asked on their choice of the West Africans, Mr Masimirembwa said: “Why not Ghanaians? They are Africans. They applied and were given a licence.
“We are saying the same thing to Zimbabweans in diamonds and other mining sectors. Zimbabweans should come forward and put their resources together and approach the ZMDC.
“We have numerous mining opportunities in gold, diamonds, iron ore and lithium, among others.” Mr Masimirembwa challenged Zimbabweans to consider exploring investment in the diamond cutting and polishing industry where opportunities are abundant.
The coming in of Ge Nyame brings the number of diamond companies operating at Chiadzwa to six. Already mining diamonds at Chiadzwa are Marange Resources, Mbada Diamonds, Anjin Investments, Diamond Mining Cooperation and Zim Diamonds.
Zim Diamonds is a wholly owned ZMDC company which took over claims formally owned by SinoZimbabwe. SinoZimbabwe was a Chinese company granted a licence to operate at Chiadzwa a year ago, but later abandoned its claims arguing that they were not commercially viable.
Marange diamonds were last month finally cleared to trade freely on the international market when the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme took a landmark decision to withdraw monitors and allow unhindered exports.
This was after the KPCS Working Group on Monitoring said Zimbabwe fulfilled all the requirements to certify its own diamond exports.