The President of Zimbabwe, HE Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, yesterday unveiled a policy document for the growth of its mining sector titled “Strategic Road to the Achievement of $ 12 billion By 2023”, reports emanating out of Harare said. Also present at the launch of the strategy document was Zimbabwe’s Mines Minister Winston Chitando, who will, no doubt, be the person responsible for delivering on the policy outline.

The President said during the event that “the mining industry was key to Government’s goal of achieving an upper middle income economy by 2030”, a report by Farirai Machivenyika of the Chronicle’s Harare Bureau states.

According to other reports, the policy document projects exports of gold worth US$ 4 billion; those of platinum at US$ 3 billion; and of diamonds at US$ 1 billion amongst other minerals. Reuters has reported that Zimbabwe aims to increase diamond production to 11 million carats by 2023 from the last year’s production level of 3.2 million carats.

Zimbabwe, a mineral rich country with an estimated 40 minerals across categories from precious to industrial, has much to gain from the proper exploitation of its natural resources.  A road map and policies on how matters will actually work out, on ground and in practice, are now awaited by those interested in partnering with the Government to realise its vision, analysts say.