The evaluators left for the diamond field that is also known as Marange on Thursday where Mbada Diamonds a joint venture between the governments Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) and little-known South African company Core Mining is mining the gems.
They were accompanied by officials from the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ).
“Evaluators were invited by the government and they are already at the mine with officials from Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe,” a senior government official said.
“The idea is for the government to monitor every production done so that there is proper accountability of day to day production. (Finance Minister) Tendai Biti has been tasked with handling that issue and is well aware of the presence of the evaluators.
“The evaluators went to Chiadzwa on Thursday and started work today (Friday).”
Biti was not immediately available for comment on the matter.
A senior manager with the MMCZ also confirmed the dispatch of the evaluators.
“A team of our evaluators left for Chiadzwa on Thursday and they will be based there for sometime to monitor production at the mine.”
Zimbabwe earlier this month aborted a planned auction of 300 000 carats of diamonds from the Chiadzwa field after it emerged that KPCS procedures had not been observed.
The KPCS is a joint government, industry and civil society initiative to stop trade in conflict diamonds rough diamonds used by rebel movements and other rouge groups to finance wars against legitimate governments.
Under a set of measures meant to bring Zimbabwes controversial diamond industry in line with KPCS standards, the world diamond industry must monitor production and sales of diamonds from Chiadzwa field where the army has been accused of rights abuses against civilians.
Chiadzwa is one of the worlds most controversial diamond fields with reports that soldiers sent to guard the field after the government took over London Stock Exchange-listed mining company African Consolidated Resources claims committed gross human rights abuses including murder against illegal miners who had descended on the field.
International rights groups have been pushing for a ban on Zimbabwean diamonds.
The southern African nation however escaped a KPCS ban last November but the global body gave Harare a June 2010 deadline to make reforms to comply with its regulations.
Post published in: Economy