The Mozambican Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Carlos Zacarias, on Monday inaugurated a trading post in the central city of Chimoio that deals in diamonds, precious metals and gems.This is a facility set up in response to the Kimberley certification process, which promotes the implantation of official trading hubs, seeking to improve the regulatory framework, and combat the contraband in precious minerals.According to Zacarias, the undertaking inaugurated on Monday is intended to create decent jobs, and increase foreign exchange earnings for the Mozambican state.The new trading post, he said, results from the government’s efforts to standardise the exploitation of gems and precious metals, and to improve their management and control, thereby obtaining more revenue for the State.“We would like to believe that this trading post will undoubtedly stimulate the extractive industry in Manca province, and in the country in general”, he added. “This will be the obligatory point for the certification of mineral products before they are exported”.Zacarias recalled that Mozambique joined the Kimberley process in 2021, and this has allowed the implementation of measures to improve the conditions for fighting against contraband and tax evasion by those who are exploiting the country’s mineral resources.He said that technical and administrative procedures have been established for the screening, security and internal controls of diamonds as well as for the marketing of precious metals and gems, through the use of packaging which includes the certificate of origin.“These measures are guaranteeing improvements in the collection of revenue for the State”, continued Zacaias. “Because of them, in 2022 Manica province registered the production of about 400 kilos of gold. 45 kilos were exported. By the end of the first half of this year (2023) the province registered producion of 305 kilos of gold, of which 99 kilos were exported”.“These numbers”, he said, “are encouraging us to improve the measures for screening and inspecting the production and export of precious metals and gems”.The Minister urged all those operating in the sub-sector of precious metals and gems to use all the facilities that will be provided at the trading post.“Technical brigades will be present at this post, including experts who will be available to attend to the users”, he said.Zacarias guaranteed that in the Chimoio post mineral products will be valued and weighed, certificates of origin will be issued, and exports will be authorised.“Because of the geostrategic location of Manica province, and the quantity of mineral resources that it contains, this post is an asset to drive the agenda of adding value and making these mineral resources a vector of the development of thenational economy”, he declared.The available data shows that Manica province has 22 mining associations and five cooperatives. In Manica district alone, it is estimated that at least 7,000 people (including children) are involved in mining.This is the second trading post for previous metals and gems. The first was set up in Maputo. It cost the Mozambican government about 17 million meticais (266,000 US dollars, at the current exchange rate). (ICE MAPUTO)

Fonte notizia: TVM