Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Zimbabwe’s DMC producing 7,200 diamond carats a day

Zimbabwe’s DMC producing 7,200 diamond carats a day
Posted by By Our reporter at 16 December, at 13 : 43 PM

THE recently opened diamond mining company in the Marange mine fields of Zimbabwe, DMC said it has a capacity to produce more than seven thousand carats a day, worth around US$360 thousand, it has been learnt.

Company Deputy General Manager, Mr Gille Sithole said the 4 month old company has a processing machine that can process 200 tonnes of ore diamond an hour while others have machines that processed almost half their capacity at the same period.

“We have a processor that can process 200 tonnes an hour and that makes us the best company in terms of production capacity,” said Mr Sithole.

“We have three shifts and that means from the 200 tonnes per hour for eight hours multiplied by US$50 per carat will give you around 7 000 carats a day worth almost US$360 thousand.”

Mr Sithole said the company had the best processing equipment out of the four operating companies at the Marange fields.

He said as they concentrated on alluvial diamond mining only, they were aiming to further ask for other claims that have conglomerate diamonds as they have the machinery to mine such diamonds which he said needed advanced equipment.

“DMC was given claims that have mostly alluvial diamonds and we feel that as we have the capacity to venture into conglomerate diamond mining, we will take necessary steps to get the claims that have conglomerate diamonds which usually are at a distance of between 20 metres and 60 meters down the earth,” he said.

He said DMC has applied for the Kimberly Processing and Certification Scheme (KPCS) and was waiting for the monitor, Mr Abbey Chikane to come and monitor the company.
Mr Sithole said he was convinced that there were no doubts that the company would get a KP nod as they feel they have met the minimum requirements.

“Well, we have applied for the KPCS monitor Mr Abbey Chikane to come and formally certify our diamonds which we feel we have met their minimum requirements.

“What is usually looked into is security and abuse of human rights, so here there is nothing like that,” he said.

DMC has not yet begun selling its diamonds as they are still waiting for the certification.

The company has 456 employees with 300 security guards, 24 foreigners of which 16 are Indians and 8 are Lebanese.

DMC is a joint-venture company between DMC and the state owned Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation.

Labels: DIAMONDS, MARANGE DIAMOND FIELDS

posted by MrK @ 5:16 PM