Harare: Russia’s Alrosa and Chinese partly owned Anjin have been selected by the Zimbabwe government as the two foreign companies to partner the state-diamond firm in exploring and mining diamonds, according to a report published in local newspaper.

“The President has put the Zimbabwean interest at the heart of exploitation of those diamonds only accepting foreign participation by way of selecting companies from Russia (Alrosa) and China (Anjin),” said presidential spokesperson George Charamba.

Zimbabwe said last December that it would limit diamond exploration and mining in the country to only four companies.

The state-owned Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) and Murowa Diamonds were currently mining diamonds in the country.

Mines minister Winston Chitando said Harare settled for only four players for easy monitoring of the mining and selling of diamonds.
Alrosa said recently that it set up its subsidiary, Alrosa Zimbabwe last month in Harare and its geologists as well as mining engineers were expected in the country next month to start operations.

Anjin previously mined diamonds in the country until 2015 when former President Robert Mugabe’s government decided not to renew operating licences of mining companies that operated in Marange, which led to the formation of ZCDC.

Anjin was jointly owned by Chinese companies Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Company and Matt Bronze — an investment arm of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.