Abel Zhakata Mutare Bureau
Mutare, which is yet to realise meaningful benefits from mining activities in Chiadzwa, will soon be home to a multinational diamond park housing businesses in the diamond value-addition chain.

Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company Private Limited (ZCDC) chief executive officer Dr Moris Mpofu last week said the establishment of the park would create thousands of jobs.

It will also put the eastern border city on the world map.

Before ZCDC took over mining operations at Chiadzwa, previous miners sold everyone a dummy, promising the local Marange villagers and the greater Mutare community heaven on earth.

Projects promised and never materialised included infrastructure development.

Dr Mpofu described ZCDC as a game changer.

“Broadly, ZCDC has developed the Diamond Mining Business Model which focuses on three main elements which are stability, growth and sustainability,” he said. “Corporate social responsibility takes a pivotal role in this business model, anchored on transforming the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans.

“In line with Government’s thrust for value-addition and beneficiation, ZCDC was tasked by the Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Cde Walter Chidhakwa, to establish a multinational diamond park in Mutare.

“It shall house all related businesses and institutions in the diamond value chain from mining to retail. Our motto is: ‘From the mine to the finger’. We want to come up with a complete diamond value chain in Mutare. The diamond park is expected to create employment and training opportunities for the youths, as well as enhance the region and the country’s economic competitiveness.”

Dr Mpofu said sound relationship between the community and the firm provided an enabling platform for feasible mining.

“Let us remain united so that we make meaningful contributions to both the community and national economic development,” he said.

Coming to mining operations at the Marange concessions, Dr Mpofu said the company re-opened three of the eight former mining concessions.

“That is Portal A (former Mbada), Portal B (former Marange) and Portal E (former DTZ),” he said. “Other concessions are under exploration and evaluation to come up with viable mining strategies given the depleted alluvial deposits.

“To ensure growth of the business, ZCDC has invested in extensive exploration and evaluation to increase confidence levels and promote confidence mining. It is unfortunate that very little had been done to establish with confidence, the true extent and form of mineral wealth stored underground through investment in exploration and evaluation.

“We need to create a bankable diamond reserve for the nation.”

Dr Mpofu said alluvial diamond deposits had drastically dwindled.

“The future of diamond mining in Zimbabwe is in conglomerate mining which requires greater investment in both mining and processing capacity,” he said. “To this effect, ZCDC has invested in mining and processing equipment, some of which you have seen being delivered by convoys of trucks from Beira.

“This displays our long term commitment to the business and re-emphasises our pledge to mine diamonds for both current and future generations.”

Dr Mpofu said due to the capitalisation which had improved productivity and operational efficiency, the company had surpassed its yesteryear production.

“The third quarter of this year is set for civil works, plant installations and commissioning, while the last quarter of 2017 will see the organisation embark on conglomerate mining,” he said.

“Employment in the diamond mining sector is increasing. In its infancy, the company currently employs 1 200 directly and 350 indirectly, with the numbers expected to increase as more mines are opened.

“Note that 47 percent of this employee base is drawn from Manicaland province in keeping with our sustainable community development strategy.”

Government formed ZCDC after stopping the companies that were mining the gems in Chiadzwa upon realisation that they were not declaring the correct figures and exporting the diamonds clandestinely.

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