Zimbabwe’s mineral exports during the first eight months of this year have surpassed total sales achieved in the whole of 2009 by nearly 30 percent, according to figures released by the umbrella group of the country’s mining companies on Thursday.
The Chamber of Mines said total mineral sales between January and August amounted to $852 million compared to $671 million earned in the whole of 2009.
The figure excluded diamonds which have so far earned Zimbabwe more than $70 million from just two supervised auctions conducted in August and September.
The next auction is expected this month but an exact date still has to be fixed in conjunction with the industry watchdog Kimberley Process that had since last November banned exports of diamonds from Zimbabwe’s Marange fields, citing human rights abuses by security forces guarding the mines.
The government says the country holds more than five million carats from Marange, where it runs two joint venture mining operations with South African firms.
Some international diamond experts say output from the Marange fields could easily reach 40 million carats by 2013, catapulting Zimbabwe to top global gem producer and earning $2 billion a year.
Revenue from diamond sells could go a long way to providing much needed cash for the Harare government that has failed to attract meaningful financial support from Western governments and international financial institutions.
Source African Press Agency
African News from NetNewsPublisher.com
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