(Ecofin Agency) - Zimbabwe’s state-owned Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) has produced, since March 2016 where it started its activities, 513,000 ct of diamond. In February 2016, the government evicted all diamond mining companies operating in the Marange zone, as they refused to merge into a single entity by joining ZCDC. According to the government, the licences of these firms expired.

Ridge Nyashanu, acting CEO of ZCDC, declared that since March the firm operated two mining concessions and is exploring two others previously owned by firms evicted from Marange. However, he highlighted that ZCDC is currently not allowed to operated bigger concessions, owned by Mbada Diamonds (the biggest producer of the zone before the eviction in February) as well as two Chinese companies, Anjin and Jinan, as they are in court to contest the eviction order.

In 2014, Zimbabwe according to Kimberley Process’ statistics was the eighth biggest diamond producer worldwide with 4.7 million ct.

Louis-Nino Kansoun