via Zimbabwe to lead diamond producers: Report by NewsDay Business Reporter
ZIMBABWE has the potential to become the world’s top diamond producer should the gems be sold on an open market, a Canadian firm has reported.
In its commentary on the diamonds sector, Kitco, a company that buys and sells precious metals, said nearly 60 diamond mining firms around the world, which include Zimbabwean ones at Marange fields, are this year expected to account for 84% of this year’s projected global output of 130 million carats. [see Kitco Commentary by Paul Zimnisky]
The balance (or 16%) of global production not included according to the commentary comes from small-scale operations, where production data is unreliable or not available at all.
Experts say currently Zimbabwe’s gems are being sold at below 25% of the normal price due to sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union.
“According to Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation projections, Zimbabwe’s Marange diamond fields are expected to produce 16,9 million carats in 2013, which would make the project the largest in the world in terms of carats produced annually,” Kitco said in the report.
“Partnership Africa Canada, a non-profit organisation, estimates that production from Marange fields would be as high as 30 to 40 million carats annually if Kimberley Process restrictions did not exist (the Kimberley Process is a global non-profit organisation established to prevent the trade of conflict diamonds).
“While the Marange fields may produce more carats than any other project in the world, the quality of the diamonds produced are among the lowest in the world, averaging only $60/carat (the global average is approximately $100/carat according to Kimberly Process data).
Zimbabwe is the fourth largest diamond-producing nation in the world, and the Marange fields represent almost all of the nation’s production.”
While output of the gems is expected to rise in the coming years, critics say the country has not fully harnessed the precious stones to drive the economy. Already, government has revised economic growth rates due to underperforming mining, manufacturing and agriculture sectors.
Also see: https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/2013-ranking-worlds-diamond-mines/
COMMENTS
I support the price at what our diamonds are being sold at the moment.Its a good idea of preventing the looters.zanu pf government brought the chinese to colonise our people. The chinese are not foreigners according to zanu pf. They own more land than us Zimbabweans.
That is why the sanctions have to stay until that land which was grabbed from the white Zimbabweans is distributed to the Zimbabweans not the chinese from asia.These chinese don’t even invest in the communities instead the abuse and harass the locals and zanu pf government just turn away a blind eye.This is a wake up call that colonisation is here and it has been brought by mugabe and his party we need to be free from this colonisation.
Experts say currently Zimbabwe’s gems are being sold at below 25% of the normal price due to sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union.
Is somebody forgetting that Zimbabwe is not under economic sanctions, only “targeted” exist? Or so we have been told 13000 times?
Careful next time its meant to be a secret.Or has it gone obsolete now that ZANU PF wins anyway inspite of the sanctions?
Debswana of Botswana report says, of the 2012 total sales figure of US$6.07 billion, 86 percent was paid to governments, suppliers, employees, shareholders and other finance providers. That is about $5 Billion into the economy. Imagine what will happen to our situation in Zimbabwe if Marange et al can provide so much cash into our economy. Liquidity problems will be a thing of the past. There will be enough money to plan ahead, even kuti govt ikwerete from the market for infrastructure.
16.9 million carats @ $60/carat = $1 billion in revenue
Only $25 million was remitted to Treasury last year.
Is it any wonder why they cling on to power, even if it meant the death of the country?