Oliver Kazunga Senior Enterprise Reporter

ZIMBABWE is planning to craft a gems growth coverage to enhance the manufacturing of semi-precious and colored stones whose (unmined) worth within the nation is estimated at U$2 billion yearly.

Of late, there have been experiences of semi-precious stones being found in some components of the nation like Hurungwe and Karoi in Mashonaland West Province the place villagers extracted the stones with out going by way of the conventional processes that guarantee Zimbabwe advantages as a rustic.

After extraction, the gems had been reportedly illegally offered to unscrupulous sellers that smuggle and export the semi-precious and colored stones in uncooked kind.

In keeping with the Minerals Advertising and marketing Company of Zimbabwe (MMCZ), final yr a complete of 1 386 million kilogrammes of semi-precious and colored stones had been offered by way of the formal system, raking in US$215 650 million.

In his tackle on the inaugural Gems Convention organised by the Zimbabwe College of Mines in Harare yesterday, visitor of honour Mines and Mining Improvement Minister Winston Chitando implored stakeholders within the mining business to give you suggestions for enter into the proposed coverage.

“Over and above the coaching facet, l actually need to urge you, probably not conclusive right now, to give you a gems growth coverage.

“In the mean time, we’re within the technique of amendments to the Mines and Minerals Act, the amendments had been gazetted and there’s a course of which is happening when it comes to the consultations and rollout of the amendments for eventual dialogue in Parliament and developing with amendments to the Invoice.

“It’s not too late for us as gamers within the gems sector, we consider that there are some authorized interventions that are required, however there are some coverage interventions which have to be put into legislation, let’s have it right now,” he mentioned.

Minister Chitando mentioned because the session course of takes place, representatives of the gems sector ought to give enter to the amendments to the Mines and Minerals Act.

Examples of semi-precious and colored stones dotted throughout the nation embrace amethyst, antimony, aquamarine,  aventurine, beryl and talc. The semi-precious minerals are largely used for jewelry manufacturing and ornamental functions.

Minister Chitando reiterated that the entire thrust of Imaginative and prescient 2030 is to develop manufacturing therefore as a part of the mining business’s contribution in the direction of the nationwide imaginative and prescient, the Authorities in 2019 launched the US$12 billion milestone by subsequent yr with the diamond and gems sector anticipated to contribute US$1 billion.

Delegates on the inaugural gems convention included representatives from the Minerals Advertising and marketing Company of Zimbabwe (MMCZ), Authorities officers, and the Zimbabwe Miners Federation—the mom physique of small-scale miners within the nation.

ZMF president Ms Henrieta Rushwaya mentioned artisanal and small-scale miners dominate the extraction of gems and colored stones in Zimbabwe however plenty of income has been misplaced by way of illicit commerce.

“Semi-precious stones being found in some components of the nation like Karoi and Hurungwe have been accomplished informally and consequently plenty of income have been misplaced to illicit commerce and thus disenfranchising the nation the much-needed gemstone income, as people have been promoting to cartels,” she mentioned.

ZMF, MMCZ and the Authorities by way of the Ministry of Mines and Mining, Ms Rushwaya mentioned have made frantic efforts to formalise the gems sector.

In 2019, the Authorities promulgated Statutory Instrument 256 of 2019 which regularises the mining of semi-precious stones throughout the worth chain to learn the native communities from which the assets are being extracted.

It’s in opposition to this backdrop that ZMF has initiated the formation of the Nationwide Gems Miners Affiliation to which all the opposite present associations would report their actions.

“Nonetheless, full beneficiation is being hampered by widespread criminality as many miners and merchants function exterior the formal sector in Hurungwe and Karoi.

“Whereas the chopping, sprucing and processing of gems and their manufacture into jewelry is in existence, solely a small fraction within the nation sees the importance of this exercise,” she mentioned.

The mining business is considered one of Zimbabwe’s financial sectors accounting for over 75 per cent of annual export receipts and contributing about 16 p.c to the gross home product.

Final yr, the mining sector generated over US$5 billion maintaining the nation on target in the direction of the attainment of a US$12 billion mining economic system by subsequent yr.