Diamond production at the RZM Murowa mine in Zimbabwe fell 43% year on year in the third quarter as operations focused on lower-grade ore.
RioZim, which owns the deposit, processed material from the K1 pit, as the higher-grade K2 section had reached the end of its life span, the Zimbabwean mining group said in a recent statement.
The company did not disclose total output. Its production for the first half of the year was 240,000 carats.
A program to increase Murowa’s processing capacity, known as the Crown Jewel Project, is progressing “at a slower pace than desired due to lack of adequate foreign currency,” RioZim added.
RioZim also operates gold mines across Zimbabwe, with production at the sites slipping 7% year on year for the quarter amid power shortages and volatile market conditions. The company’s base-metal deposit is under care and maintenance.
