News / National
Old cast iron coal-heated irons in massive demand in Zimbabwe
27 Apr 2011 at 15:34hrs | Views
There is a massive scramble for old cast iron coal-heated irons around the country, as people claim the gadget is fetching a fortune on the market.
People from all walks of life are combing both urban and rural areas for the 'treasured' iron. "We buy the iron for an average $50 and resell it at private markets elsewhere for anything above $800. We mainly buy the irons inscribed Rhodesia, Germany and other countries, provided the item is magnetic.
"The magnetic characteristic of the iron is a result of uranium used in its manufacture. Buyers extract the uranium elements from the iron and use them for various important purposes," said a middle-class iron buyer scouting for the gadgets in rural areas surrounding Filabusi.
The scramble for the irons has gripped the country so much that former refuse dumping areas and the remotest of villages have been thoroughly combed by the fortune seekers. The old iron is the 'talk of the moment', but the final market remains a jealously guarded secret by buyers.
People from all walks of life are combing both urban and rural areas for the 'treasured' iron. "We buy the iron for an average $50 and resell it at private markets elsewhere for anything above $800. We mainly buy the irons inscribed Rhodesia, Germany and other countries, provided the item is magnetic.
"The magnetic characteristic of the iron is a result of uranium used in its manufacture. Buyers extract the uranium elements from the iron and use them for various important purposes," said a middle-class iron buyer scouting for the gadgets in rural areas surrounding Filabusi.
The scramble for the irons has gripped the country so much that former refuse dumping areas and the remotest of villages have been thoroughly combed by the fortune seekers. The old iron is the 'talk of the moment', but the final market remains a jealously guarded secret by buyers.
Source - Byo24News
