Herald Reporter

Former Minerals Advertising and marketing Company of Zimbawe Mineral evaluator Gemologist Engineer Intelligent Sithole formally opened the Silk Street Coronary heart Gemmological Laboratory and Lapidary Middle in Afghanistan lately.

The Silk Street Coronary heart Gemmological Laboratory and Lapidary Middle is the flagship middle for worth addition and beneficiation of gem stones produced in Afghanistan.

The middle is a specialised middle that unlocks true worth from gem stones, curbs under-declaration and smuggling of gems.

It’s primarily based in Kabul and Engineer Intelligent Sithole is the top Gemologist for the ability. The power is the primary in Central/ South Asia.

It will likely be concerned within the coaching of Afghan nationals to conduct chopping and sharpening of gem stones in addition to certification of gem stones based on internationl requirements.

In accordance with Eng Sthole, the ability shall be acquiring worldwide accreditation and can implement the newest applied sciences comparable to blockchain tracing of gem stones from mine to market.

Blockchain traceability will guarantee accountable and sustainable sourcing of gem stones from mining as much as customers.

The laboratory has the newest scientific applied sciences for gemstone evaluation, grading and certification.

Chatting with Mining Zimbabwe, Eng Sithole mentioned there have been myriad advantages for Zimbabwe to arrange the same laboratory.

He mentioned Zimbabwe will get hold of worldwide accreditation which is able to allow the nation to certify colored stones and diamonds from throughout the area.

” Establishing a Gemmological Laboratory and Lapidary Middle brings a whole lot of benefits for the nation. The middle is a specialised middle that unlocks true worth from gemstone, curbs  under-declaration and smuggling of gems.

“Its benefits are opening up alternatives by way of worth addition and beneficiation of gem stones for the nation, create employment alternatives in lapidary and jewel craftsmanship, correct grading, pricing and valuation of colored stones an diamonds, the middle also can get hold of worldwide accreditation which allows it to certify colored stones and diamonds from different sources inside the area comparable to Mozambique, South Africa, Angola, Losotho and Namibia,” he mentioned.

Engineer Sithole has been co-opted into the Afghan authorities’s semi-precious committee in command of reforming the exports coverage below the Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Afghan.

Amongst its successes, committee has carried out super work by way of implementing ease of doing enterprise reforms that may allow easy methods of exporting gem stones.

An Afghan gem stones convention and consumers assembly was held in Dubai in July 2021.

Engineer Sithole is a Mining Engineer and Superior Scientific Gemologist educated within the USA, UK, Belgium, India, Dubai, Switzerland, Israel, South Africa and Spain.

He labored for the MMCZ for 13 years concerned in gem stones and diamonds valuations amongst different duties. The middle is a specialised middle that unlocks true worth from gemstone, curbs under-declaration and smuggling of gems.- (Mining Zimbabwe)