DiamondBuzz
ZCDC diamond guards accused of cold blooded murder of citizens
Security guards working for the government-owned Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) have killed “scores of citizens in cold blood,” according to a coalition of Zimbabwean civil society organizations.They also accuse the ZCDC of torturing artisanal diamond miners in the Marange diamond fields, as a punishment for alleged illegal mining.
Eight groups, including the National Mine Workers Union of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Artisanal Miners Association and Zimbabwe Diamond Workers Union call on ZCDC to publicly acknowledge their culpability in Mutindindi’s death.
They make a series of additional demands, that includes sending all ZCDC security personnel for human rights training, and conducting a voluntary human rights audit to understand the extent and nature of ZCDC human rights violations.The ZCDC started operations in February 2016 as part of a government initiative aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in the diamond sector.
In 2023 the US sanctioned Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa for human rights abuses, corruption and smuggling gold and diamonds.Mnangagwa, 81, who has held office since 2017, insists the claims against him are “defamatory” and “malicious”.
DiamondBuzz
Lesotho’s Kao Diamond Mine To Halt Operations Amid Industry Slump
The Mine’s Operator, Storm Mountain, Cited A Severe Financial Crisis Driven By A Prolonged Drop In Global Rough-diamond Prices, Rising Middle East Conflict
Lesotho’s largest diamond mine, Kao, will cease operations on June 30 and transition to care and maintenance. The mine’s operator, Storm Mountain, cited a severe financial crisis driven by a prolonged drop in global rough-diamond prices, rising Middle East conflict-related fuel costs, and stiff competition from lab-grown diamonds.
Despite a warning last October that the mine required $13 million in fresh capital to survive, the necessary investment did not materialise. According to CEO Neo Hoala, the steep market decline made continued operations unsustainable. The shutdown will impact roughly 750 workers.
The mine’s financial downturn is stark: in 2024, Storm Mountain sold 250,000 carats for $50 million—a massive drop from its $105 million revenue in 2022. Kao’s suspension reflects a broader crisis in the diamond sector, following recent insolvencies and closures at Canada’s Ekati mine and South Africa’s Ekapa and Finsch mines.
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Lesotho’s Kao Diamond Mine To Halt Operations Amid Industry Slump
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