Zimbabwe Chrome Export Ban To Stay: Mpofu

The Zimbabwe Government will not lift the ban on chrome ore exports, despite growing calls in the small-scale mining sector to reverse it, Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu has said.

The minister told stakeholders during a one-day meeting in Mutare early this week that there would be no further discussion on the issue.

Government banned chrome ore exports in April this year to promote value addition of the mineral.

"I want to say to my colleagues that the door has been shut, actually the door will be totally shut," he said.

The minister was responding to a request by the chief executive of the Small-Scale Miners' Association, Mr Wellington Takavarasha, for the ministry to consider lifting the ban because of its it negative impact on their membership.

Mr Takavarasha's view was shared by a delegate, a member of the association who said they were sitting on large stockpiles of chrome which they could not sell locally and was likely to be ruined with the onset of the rains. But Minister Mpofu said he had burnt his fingers before, when he allowed exports for 18 months, only for the window to be grossly abused.

He said although the window was supposed to allow small-scale miners to export chrome to raise money to buy equipment, the miners instead brought in foreigners to mine and export chrome and no equipment was bought.

There were also no returns declared by the miners from the exports. The minister said the few export returns the ministry received were from foreigners, such as the Chinese.

He said that although the door had been shut on chrome exports the ministry was still prepared to consider individual requests.

"Come and tell us how much chrome you have and how much you have exported and the returns that you have submitted," he said.

The minister blasted those calling for the ban for raising the issue only at different platforms without approaching the ministry directly.

"This same issue was raised during the just-ended mining indaba," he said. "Why don't you raise it in the ministry where genuine cases will be dealt with?"

On diamonds, Minister Mpofu said Government was still keen to register more diamond and polishing companies, even though companies that they had earlier registered had "deviated from their parameters of operation".

He said that out of 29 companies registered previously, only six stuck to their operations. The others just wanted access to diamonds to resell them illegally.

The mines ministry had now developed a template to ensure that dedicated companies are registered.

Meanwhile, the ministry appeared to be closing ranks with non-governmental organisations which were vilifying the ministry at international meetings, especially on diamond mining in Chiadzwa, Marange.

Representatives from the Centre for Research and Development and the Zimbabwe Environmental Lawyers' Association underscored the need for better relations between the Government and NGOs.

The ministry was urged to be "open" in its dealings and to strive to consider notes with NGOs, to ensure that the messages sent out were consistent and tallied with Government's position.