News / Local
Diamond rush euphoria grips Beitbridge
18 Nov 2011 at 04:52hrs | Views
FORTUNE seekers have descended on Pondongoma area about 156 km west of Beitbridge amid reports that diamonds have been discovered there.
People started flocking the area at the beginning of this month following reports that a geologist was spotted sampling the gems on one of the mountains.
Local leaders said panners usually visited the area during the night to avoid arrests.
Some businessmen and villagers at Novhe near the area where the diamonds were "discovered" said they were inundated by enquiries from all over the country over the gems. A geologist Mr Asim Kasim from the Livelihood and Community Development Trust in Zvishavane has been prospecting for minerals in the area. He is reported to have taken some samples from the Sekabunwa Mountains after indicating that the area was rich in a mineral called aquamarine.
Aquamarine is a compound of several minerals. Mr Kasim has been to the area four times, prompting the fortune seekers to try their luck. But reports indicate that none of the panners has struck fortune yet. A village head from Novhe, Mr Taiso Siziba, said they had since requested the police to cordon off the area since "many panners and dealers were now causing land degradation".
"We are yet to establish the exact mineral on the ground after Kasim went away with some samples and promised to come back to us," he said.
The officer-in-charge at Zezani police station, Inspector Farai Mativenga said they were getting enquiries on the diamond rush from all parts of the country.
People started flocking the area at the beginning of this month following reports that a geologist was spotted sampling the gems on one of the mountains.
Local leaders said panners usually visited the area during the night to avoid arrests.
Some businessmen and villagers at Novhe near the area where the diamonds were "discovered" said they were inundated by enquiries from all over the country over the gems. A geologist Mr Asim Kasim from the Livelihood and Community Development Trust in Zvishavane has been prospecting for minerals in the area. He is reported to have taken some samples from the Sekabunwa Mountains after indicating that the area was rich in a mineral called aquamarine.
Aquamarine is a compound of several minerals. Mr Kasim has been to the area four times, prompting the fortune seekers to try their luck. But reports indicate that none of the panners has struck fortune yet. A village head from Novhe, Mr Taiso Siziba, said they had since requested the police to cordon off the area since "many panners and dealers were now causing land degradation".
"We are yet to establish the exact mineral on the ground after Kasim went away with some samples and promised to come back to us," he said.
The officer-in-charge at Zezani police station, Inspector Farai Mativenga said they were getting enquiries on the diamond rush from all parts of the country.
Source - TH
