After a continued strong recovery in global consumer demand for diamond jewelry during the end of the 2021 financial year, 2022 started with healthy demand, with stock conditions improving across all segments, with polished stones rising due to the good business environment. The De Beers Group report for the 2022 financial year points out that the World Diamond sector has known, in the last two years, remarkable production levels, taking into account the increased demand
Kenya is boosting its advantage over Tanzania in its bid to provide petroleum products in the East African region, with the nation’s cabinet this week approving the Kenya Pipeline Company’s (KPC) acquisition of assets from the bankrupt Kenya Petroleum Refineries Ltd (KPRL). KPC is taking over KPRL’s 45 storage tanks, which have a capacity of 484 million liters, 254 million of which are designated for refined goods and the remaining 233 million liters for crude
Reports of Dangote refinery employing 11,000 Indians are currently trending on social media with many Nigerians expressing their frustration about the matter. According to a recent report by the Punch Newspaper, a Nigerian news agency, Dangote Refinery is said to have employed 11,000 Indians. Considering the rate of unemployment in the West African country, some Nigerians are outraged that Dangote has instead chosen to hire Indians. However, according to the report by Punch, this decision has been
Despite massive pressure from a number of rights and environmental organizations, TotalEnergies said last week that it has begun digging oil wells in Uganda. The Chinese National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and TotalEnergies agreed to a $10 billion deal last year to develop Ugandan oilfields and transport the petroleum to Tanga, a port on Tanzania’s Indian Ocean, through a 1,445-kilometer pipeline. “Drilling began in July to start production in 2025”, TotalEnergies said. In Kampala, however, the
Angola and Botswana are looking at strengthening bilateral relations while exploring new areas of cooperation to support economic growth. The respective Presidencies announced plans to formalize the signing of outstanding memoranda of understandings while inking new agreements in the fields of trade, air services and energy. Angolan President João Lourenço and his Botswanan counterpart Mokgweetsi Masisi agreed to work together to sign the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement; Bilateral Air Services Agreement; Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement;
Rio Tinto said last week that production at the Diavik Diamond Mine fell 16 percent year-over-year in the second quarter but increased 2 percent when compared with Q1. Diavik, which Rio Tinto took sole ownership of in late 2021, produced 970,000 carats of diamonds in the second quarter, down from 1.1 million in the prior-year period but up from 954,000 in the first quarter. Rio Tinto said completion of an underground pipe as well as construction
The US$2.3 billion investment to take South Africa’s leading diamond mine underground bolsters De Beers’ global production and will benefit the South African economy and host communities until at least 2045 De Beers Group has celebrated a key milestone with the delivery of first production from underground operations at its Venetia Mine in Limpopo, South Africa. The overall construction of the underground mine is now 70 per cent complete, with construction and production ramp-up continuing
The Lulo Diamond Mine (Angola) delivered 15,367 carats of diamonds in the first half of 2023, up 18% year-on-year. The announcement is made by Australian Lucapa Diamond. The source indicates that sales also increased by 37% compared to the corresponding period in 2022, reaching 14,337 carats. Revenue from these sales also increased 47% year-on-year to $33.3 million. The average price per carat sold was 2,326 US dollars, compared to 2,177 US dollars in the first half of
The Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) is set to participate in a US$7 billion (9.2 trillion won) gas development project in Mozambique, Africa. The project, dubbed the Mozambique Area 4 Coral North Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) project, is a follow-up to the Coral South FLNG, which KOGAS had previously joined. According to KOGAS and industry sources on June 30, Italian energy company Eni recently submitted an official proposal for the Coral North project to the
Namibia’s solar market is booming with the country attracting fresh investments and new players. With a focus on both grid-connected and off-grid projects, the country aims to connect 80% of its population to renewables by 2025. This surge is fuelled by strong regulatory support, abundant resources, a drive for diversification and the growing demand for decentralized power systems. Untapped Resources Blessed with 300 days of sunshine per year and offering a climate well-suited for solar
