Since the third-largest mining company in the world Rio Tinto announced in March 2012 that it was interested in parting with its diamond industry assets, at least three different firms have demonstrated their interest in acquiring its holding in Zimbabwe, All Africa reported. Rio is a 78% owner of the Murowa mining operation, which produces more than 300,000 carats of rough diamonds annually.

According to All Africa, a source close to the matter stated that one of said companies had already visited Zimbabwe to compile a report on the Murowa mine and determine if its operations were being run with due diligence. In May 2012, an official of the private equity group Global Emerging Markets said the firm was discussing the potential purchase of Murowa with Rio.

In addition to the unnamed mining giants who have thrown their respective hats into the ring, the managers of the Murowa operations themselves are toying with the idea of getting together to purchase the asset from Rio, but how they would manage to secure funding for the transaction is unclear.