The Ethiopian Ministry of Mines is scraping its plan to ban rough gem exports and export ban on raw tantalum, in order to increase the export volume of mineral resources, Fortune reported.
The Ministry has also raised its revenue projection for 2013/14 fiscal year to one billion dollar, from the initial target of US$777 million. In January 2013, the Ministry announced its intention to ban rough gem exports at the start of the new fiscal year. This was because of the considerably higher price a value-added stone would fetch when compared with the rough cut.