News / National
Chrome smelters sued over US$7 million ore
03 Jul 2019 at 03:48hrs | Views
Chrome mining and smelting company, Afrochine Smelting, has been taken to the High Court by NR Barber (Private) Ltd, for allegedly unlawfully removing its chrome ore worth US$7 million.
Afrochine Smelting is a subsidiary of Tsingshan Iron and Steel Group of China and has chrome smelters in Selous near Chegutu.
It is being sued alongside Diamond Cement (Pvt) Ltd and Wonder Mavengano for the unlawful removal of 109 950,86 tonnes worth US$70 per tonne.
"The total quantity of the ore unlawfully removed is 109 950,86 tonnes whose value is claimed at the market value rate at date of summons being US$70 per tonne," NR Barber, which is under judicial management, said in court papers.
According to NR Barber, the cited defendants in the matter professes to carry on the business of prospecting for mining and trading in minerals and mineral ores in the country, but at all material times, ownership of all ore extracted within NR Barber's blocks belonged to the company.
"None of the defendants (Afrochine Smelting, Diamond Cement and Mavengano) has any right to enter upon the site of the claim or any right to the ore won from the claim," NR Barber said.
"Sometime between 2016 and December 2018, the defendants wrongfully and unlawfully entered upon the location of Mzila 6 Mine claim and without plaintiff's consent, approval or knowledge took several consignments of chrome ore extracted from the said claim," the firm said.
"The acts of the first, second and third defendants were illegal and defendants had no right at law to act in the manner they did and must each be held jointly and severally liable, compensating the plaintiff for the loss suffered as a result of the unlawful removal of its chrome."
NR Barber is being represented by Mafongonya and Matapura Legal.
Afrochine Smelting is a subsidiary of Tsingshan Iron and Steel Group of China and has chrome smelters in Selous near Chegutu.
It is being sued alongside Diamond Cement (Pvt) Ltd and Wonder Mavengano for the unlawful removal of 109 950,86 tonnes worth US$70 per tonne.
"The total quantity of the ore unlawfully removed is 109 950,86 tonnes whose value is claimed at the market value rate at date of summons being US$70 per tonne," NR Barber, which is under judicial management, said in court papers.
"None of the defendants (Afrochine Smelting, Diamond Cement and Mavengano) has any right to enter upon the site of the claim or any right to the ore won from the claim," NR Barber said.
"Sometime between 2016 and December 2018, the defendants wrongfully and unlawfully entered upon the location of Mzila 6 Mine claim and without plaintiff's consent, approval or knowledge took several consignments of chrome ore extracted from the said claim," the firm said.
"The acts of the first, second and third defendants were illegal and defendants had no right at law to act in the manner they did and must each be held jointly and severally liable, compensating the plaintiff for the loss suffered as a result of the unlawful removal of its chrome."
NR Barber is being represented by Mafongonya and Matapura Legal.
Source - newsday
