[Published: Friday January 08 2010]
Zimbabwe halts auction of diamonds
Harare, 08 Jan-(ANA)-The Zimbabwean government on Thursday halted an auction of 300,000 carats of diamonds mined in the controversial Marange field of Manicaland province after it emerged that the sale had not been sanctioned by the government.
State media quoted former Air Vice Marshal Robert Mhlanga, chairman of Mbada diamonds, one of the government-authorized firms developing the Marange field in the east of the country, as saying that the auction at the Harare International airport was intended to curb the illegal trade of diamonds in the country and to ensure compliance with international standards.
But it turned out that Mbada had invited international buyers without the approval of the government and behind the backs of the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation, a state agency, and Core Mining and Grandwell Holdings, two little-known South African minerals firms.(ANA)
FA/ANA/08 January 2010---
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