Botswana Diamonds yet to get answer on Marange application

Botswana Diamonds said that it has not received any response from the Zimbabwean government regarding its application to mine alluvial diamonds in Marange.
Company chairperson John Teeling told Rough & Polished in an exclusive interview that the application was lodged two years ago.
“Our JV application on a block in the Marange area is on the President’s desk since 2010.  We have heard nothing,” he said.
Asked how the London-listed diamond junior would seek to operate profitably in Marange if granted a licence given the trade embargo imposed on foreign companies mining in the area in partnership with the state-owned ZMDC by the United States, Teeling said Botswana Diamonds “must act in conformity with law”.
He, however, said that he was hopeful that sanctions relating to Marange would be lifted prior to mining.
Teeling could not be drawn to comment on whether the trade embargos on Marange were justified.
“Botswana Diamonds is a diamond explorer not at all political.  Our task is to create wealth for our shareholders and for the people of the areas in which we work,” he said.
He also said sampling on a series of claims in the Masvingo/Beitbridge area thought to contain kimberlites was still ongoing with no results yet.
Botswana Diamonds was sampling the area in partnership with local businessmen, whom he declined to name when asked of their identities.
He said although there was uncertainty over the indigenisation laws in Zimbabwe, Botswana Diamonds had no objection to local ownership.
Teeling also said that he was certain that Zimbabwe, within a short period, would be the world’s largest diamond producer by volume, while Botswana would remain the largest producer by value.