Beitbridge — The Kimberly Process Review Mission to Zimbabwe, led by Liberia's Deputy Minister of Planning and Development Mr Alfred Kpandel Fayia, yesterday visited River Ranch diamond mine, with the plant manager assuring the world that they had state-of-the art security systems in place to curb the smuggling of the resource.

In an interview after the mine inspection, River Ranch manager Mr Dennis Mutombeni said all diamond producers in the country had made it a priority to conform to Kimberly Process protocols in a bid to curtail the illegal exportation of the mineral.

"As producers we have made it a priority that we should adhere to world standards when it comes to the mining of diamonds.

"Any bad news will taint our record and we might see our country being banned from trading in diamonds and hence we want to avoid such a scenario.

"The assessment and review initiative is a welcome move to us Zimbabweans as the results will put an end to speculation in the foreign media," he said.

River Ranch, which is located 25 km from Beitbridge, is one of three diamond mines in the country.

Mr Mutombeni said the visit was a follow-up to another one by an assessment team from the Kimberly Process review mechanism that that came into the country in March this year.

The Kimberly Process is a globally accepted agreement that regulates the international sale of diamonds.

Some non-governmental organisations have in recent months claimed Zimbabwe was acting in contravention of Kimberly Process rules and regulations.

Apart from Mr Fayia, the Kimberly Process delegation comprises of Namibia's chief diamond inspector in the Ministry of Mines Mr Dessy Reinhold and Mr Martin Mononela, the general manager for legal services and compliance with South Africa's diamond and precious minerals regulatory arm in the Ministry of Mines and Minerals.

The team had an opportunity to inspect the mining company's registration, export permit and operating documents, including current stocks and sales papers.

They proceeded to tour the plant and had an opportunity to see the vault and inspect the security systems at the mine. The team expressed its satisfaction with the manner in which the mine was run.

The team also held separate interviews with Mr Mutombeni, the police, the local traditional leadership, a private security company manning the premises and other security agents to establish how the mine's operations were conducted on a day-to-day basis.

Soon after visiting River Ranch Mine, the team headed for Murowa Diamond Mine.

Speaking after the tour, Mr Fayia said the team would meet with Government officials in Harare today.

Meanwhile, Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu is also expected to tour River Ranch next week to get first-hand information on operations there.