The recent discovery of four kimberlitic pipes “rich in diamonds” in Bikita can be a boon for Zimbabwe’s economic fortunes if properly managed.
Zimbabwe, which is also home to Murowa Diamond Mine, River Ranch Mine (although currently mothballed) and Marange diamond fields, is poised to double output to 16.9 million carats this year as companies ramp-up production.
State-owned Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) operates five joint venture mines in Marange, which produced 8 million carats in 2012.
If proved viable, diamonds in Bikita should push Zimbabwe’s output beyond 20 million carats if not 30 million carats annually in the next few years.
Given the sad history of Marange diamonds, it is of paramount importance for Bikita diamonds to be mined in a way that is transparent.
Already villagers in Bikita have called on the Mines and Mining Development minister Obert Mpofu to ensure transparency in the allocation of mining licences.
This follows reports that a consortium of Chinese and Zimbabwean firms registered as Nan Jiang Africa Resources had started exploiting the gems, build offices and houses for its employees without receiving a go ahead from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development.
Other reports claimed that Bayrich Enterprises, a Harare based mining company is making efforts to engage (South African) partners to fund its mining operations in Bikita.
“We remain gravely concerned that there has been inadequate public information over and about the discovery of diamond deposits in the Bikita district and hereby request that the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development urgently furnish members of the public, particularly residents of Bikita district as well as oversight organs of the state with full and official information as to the nature and extent of the diamond discovery,” reads part of their petition.
They also demanded to be consulted by government on all issues regarding the mining of the gems in their area.
Prior to that the Zimbabwe Independent had reported that war veterans, war collaborators and ex-political prisoners, detainees and restrictees in Bikita were not happy with the “issuance” of mining rights to people from outside the province.
Through their lawyer James Makiya, the former freedom fighters wrote a letter to the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) in Masvingo on January 22 2013 expressing “grave concern at recent mining ventures that are setting up in Bikita under very unclear circumstances”.
“One such operation is in Bikita East, under Сhief Budzi area, whilst the other is in Bikita West under Chief Marozva. Information at hand is that the operation set up in Bikita East is a diamond mine, whilst diggings already taking place in Marozva are for tantalite and other minerals,” they wrote.
“Our clients believe that the above operations are illegal as they did not follow all procedures in the mining laws as well as environmental and empowerment laws.”
“Did EMA certify the two mining projects to take place? Are there EMA reports on the two projects? If so, when were they complied and did EMA involve local communities in assessing the two projects?”
Interestingly the Mines and Mining Development Deputy Minister Gift Chimanikire said that Nan Jiang Africa Resources had applied for a mining licence but was yet to get permission from the government to commence mining.
He did not mention anything about Bayrich Enterprises.
Political analyst Takura Zhangazha said “given the precedence of the unfortunate chaos and violence that informed the initial diamond mining in Marange (Manicaland), it is important that we ensure that Bikita is not a repeat of the same, even if the diamonds in question are reportedly kimberlitic and not alluvial ones”.
“I emphasize this primarily because all indications are that had the diamond discovery been of alluvial ones, the lackadaisical and secretive government disposition toward this matter would have led to a serious disaster in Bikita,” he argues.
“Further still, the fact that this diamond find has not been as chaotic as Marange for now does not make it any less important in relation to how government and the mining companies are going to relate with the entire community that lives in Bikita district.”
He said the fact that there is a mining company operating in what are for now reportedly unclear circumstances in the area shows that something is not done transparently and as a result thereof, the whole mining license issue must be revisited.
However, one wonders if there is any re-visitation needed when the deputy mines minister has made it clear that those that are operating in the area are doing so illegally.
Could it be that the deputy minister is not in the know? Chances of that are slim.
Minister Mpofu has also said that the government will cordon-off the area.
It remains to be seen how this will pan out given that Nan Jiang Africa Resources has developed roots in Bikita.
Zimbabwe had enough trouble trying to convince the international community and the Kimberley Process that diamond mining operations in Marange were above board and the last thing it needs is another drama in Bikita.
Nan Jiang Africa Resources and Bayrich Enterprises should wait for approval from the government before they engage in mining activities.
This sends a bad signal about the rule of law in the country.
Harare should therefore ensure that illegal diamond operations are nipped in the bud.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
