Zimbabwe halts diamond exports

Zimbabwe government banned on Thursday all diamond exports until gemstones from the region of Marange are certified by industry regulators Kimberley Process. The decision will affect several companies including Rio Tinto, whose Murowa mine yielded 124,000 carats last year, and River Ranch – both of which are certified by the international authority. Zimbabwe has been waiting for the certification of its Marange diamonds, and on Thursday the Kimberley Process monitor, Abbey Chikane, said he would recommend Zimbabwe be allowed to export the precious stones.

The government sent the army to the Marange province to improve security in the area, while rights groups accuse the troops of widespread atrocities in the poorly secured diamond fields in the eastern part of the country.