Zimbabwe to start value edition on diamond

Image: www.freedigitalphotos.net

The development comes three months after ZDTC signed a multi-million dollar deal with Indian firm, Sahajanand Laser Technology Limited, for the supply of diamond beneficiation machinery.

ZDTC chairman Lovemore Kurotwi, recently said that the equipment would be transported to Zimbabwe after the training programme.

"Because cutting is scientific, we have sent three of our personnel to India to train and gain a general operational understanding of the technology who will come back and train the majority of our personnel here.

"A team of 15 members from India will also come to Zimbabwe afterwards to assist in training our local people. This means that as a country we are going to cut more diamonds," he said.

Zimbabwe mines most of its diamonds from the vast Marange fields in Manicaland province which are estimated to have the potential to supply 25 percent of global demand.

However, the country, which is among the top five in diamond production, has over the years been losing out by exporting minerals without value addition.

According to researchers, Zimbabwe has the potential to generate over $8 billion and create over 200,000 jobs annually, if it introduces mineral beneficiation.

Kurotwi said Zimbabwe was in the process of capacitating ZDTC to enable it to process, add value and sell minerals under a model similar to the Belgian Antwerp World Diamond Centre.