Business Reporter
A private mining company, Hosen Mining, has applied for permission to prospect for diamonds on five sites measuring about 250 000 hectares in three mining districts
A notice in the Government Gazette of Friday October 3 says that Hosen Mining has been applied prospective rights for diamonds in Harare, Kadoma and Bulawayo mining districts.
Hosen Mining has applied for permission to prospect for diamonds in Kadoma mining district on an area measuring 63 840 hectares, in Bulawayo mining district area measuring 56 800 hectares and on 17 940 hectares in the Harare mining district.
The mining company has also sought permission to prospect for diamonds on 60 150 hectares in Bulawayo and on 49 600 hectares also in Bulawayo.
The Government notice says that the applicant intends to prospect for diamonds within the area which has been reserved against prospecting pending determination of its application. Prospecting authority is sought upon registered base mineral blocks within the reservation.
Government, through the Mines and Mining Development Ministry, is in the process of operationalising the Mining Promotion Company (MPC) and will soon approach Parliament to amend the Minerals Marketing Corporation Act to facilitate the absorption of the Minerals Marketing Corporation Zimbabwe into the MPC.
The MPC has a separate board of directors and administrative structure and will have access to about $20-$25 million for exploration.
Zimbabwe remains behind in exploration as the country has not invested in exploration in the past. Opportunities exist for investors to explore the country’s mineral wealth. The setting up of MPC is in response to this.
Zimbabwe is a mineral-rich country with a huge and highly diversified mineral resource base dominated by two prominent geological features namely the Great Dyke and ancient Greenstone Belts also known as Gold Belts.
About 60 percent of the country’s land is said to comprise of ancient rocks renowned worldwide for hosting rich varieties of mineral resources including gold, base metals, nickel, copper, zinc, lead and industrial minerals – limestone, phosphates, clay and dolomites.
Zimbabwe has the second largest deposits of platinum in the world.
To enhance control and effective monitoring in the diamond mining sector, the Government has announced plans to collapse into one the diamond mining companies operating in the Marange diamond fields.
The diamond mining companies, which are in 50-50 joint ventures with the state-owned Zimbabwe Mining Development Company include Mbada Diamonds, Diamond Mining Company, Anjin Investments and Marange Resources.
Another diamond mining company, Gye Nyame’s licence was cancelled this year.