HARARE, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's gold output marginally declined to 4,637 kg in the first quarter of 2017 from 4,711 kg during the same period last year, the Ministry of Finance said Thursday.
Production was adversely affected by excessive rainfall received during the month of February, which reduced throughput due to flooding, the ministry said in its 2017 first quarter treasury bulletin released Thursday.
However, it said the contribution of small-scale miners continued to rise, with the 2017 first quarter output at 2,083 kg against 2,033 kg during the same period in 2016.
"Production is anticipated to pick up from the second quarter, to give annual output consistent with the total projection for the year of 24,500 kg," the Ministry said.
The ministry said the anticipated increase in gold output was in view of the ongoing support to small scale miners through an additional 20 million U.S. dollars facility that had been availed for equipment for the miners, coupled with a 5 percent export incentive scheme being given to miners by the central bank.
"Furthermore, the expected resumption of riverbed mining in the second quarter of the year is also expected to drive up production," the ministry said.
Gold is Zimbabwe's top mineral export earner.
The ministry said platinum output for the first two months of the year stood at 2,418 kg against a total annual target of 15,500 tonnes.
Diamond production during the first quarter of 2017 stood at 567,024 carats, six percent lower than 603,590 carats produced in the comparable period of 2016.
The Ministry attributed the decline in diamond production to transitional challenges involving the consolidation of former diamond companies into one state company, the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company since February 2016.
