The Murowa diamond mine

The Murowa Diamond Mine is located near Zvishavane in South Central Zimbabwe. The owner of the mine, Murowa Diamonds Private Limited, is incorporated in Zimbabwe.  Rio Tinto plc has a 78 per cent interest in the company and the remaining 22 per cent interest is owned by Riozim Limited, an independent Zimbabwean owned and listed company.

Three kimberlite pipes were discovered on the mine site in 1997. Feasibility studies and mine planning were conducted from 1998 to 2000, with commissioning of a small scale operation in 2004.  

The resource has the potential to be expanded to 6-7 times its current production level.  A review of the feasibility study for this expansion is currently underway, as are discussions with the Zimbabwean government on the required investment environment to support a project of this magnitude.

Murowa Diamonds employs around 180 people directly and a further 150 full-time contractors provide mining and village services.  The company maintains very high safety and health standards and is ISO14001 certified on the environmental front.

Extensive sustainable development programs are in place in the communities surrounding the operation.  (More information about Murowa's sustainable development activities is available from our Sustainable Development section.)  In addition, the company has provided significant humanitarian assistance to the local community and the wider Zvishavane district during the cholera epidemic and extended drought in 2008 and early 2009.

Since 2004 Rio Tinto Diamonds' sales and marketing team in Antwerp, Belgium has been sorting and selling the production from the Murowa mine to an international customer base.

Further information: Murowa Diamond Mine website