Zimbabwe Forecasts Surge in Diamond Output

RAPAPORT... Zimbabwe's rough-diamond production will more than triple to11 million carats in 2025, according to the nation's state-owned miningoperation. Output will grow at an average of 21% per year from 3million carats in 2018, a spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company(ZCDC) told Rapaport News Monday. "This growth is anchored on investment of around $400million across the entire diamond value chain in the next five years," thespokesperson said. In addition, the ZCDC named Killiam Ukama, an engineer, asthe chairman of the ZCDC's new board. The ZCDC produced 1.8 million carats in 2017 from thecontroversial Marange diamond fields, where security forces killed more than200 illegal workers in 2008. The company suspended sales for nine months lastyear as it carried out a restructuring, and resumed tenders in the firstquarter of this year.