CANADILE Miners, one of two licensed diamond-mining firms currently operating in Zimbabwe's Marange diamond area, has begun constructing a multi-million dollar cutting and polishing center in Harare.

The Zimbabwe Diamond Technology Centre is set to become operational within six months, and is expected, once completed to create 7,000 jobs in local diamond processing and other downstream activities once completed, sources say.

Canadile ChairmanCougan Matanhire told the AFP that all Zimbabwe rough diamonds will eventually end up in the high-security area for local diamond cutting and polishing.

In addition to manufacturing units, the center, once fully completed will house, a diamond auction floor, a marketing wing and an administration block where banks and offices of the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and Kimberley Process Certification Scheme will be located, according to earlier reports.

The state-run Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe will be housed at the complex that will be built in Mt Hampden opposite Charles Prince Airport.

The center's project manager, Retired Colonel Charles Mugari told the The Herald in May that the complex would house "value-adding activities of the diamond industry such as cutting, polishing and sorting right up to the actual marketing of the finished products."