Angola Sets New Diamond Production Record with Over 14 Million Carats in 2024 as Mining Sector Expands Angola has reached a historic milestone in its diamond industry, producing over 14 million carats in 2024—the highest in the nation’s history. This achievement was announced by Diamantino Azevedo, Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, during the launch of the International Mining Conference of Angola held last Thursday in Luanda. “This milestone fulfills one of the key
De Beers Group’s Venetia diamond mine in Limpopo, South Africa, has reached a remarkable milestone of 13 million fatality-free shifts. This achievement places Venetia among a select group of mining operations in Southern Africa known for sustained excellence in safety performance. The milestone reflects the steadfast dedication of the mine’s employees, contractors, and leadership to fostering a safe and supportive work environment. Over the years, Venetia has implemented numerous proactive safety initiatives focused on building
Angola’s National Diamond Trading Company (SODIAM) has announced it raised $15.5 million from the sale of 17 special diamond stones in its latest auction. The diamonds were sourced from four mining companies: Lulo, Kaixepa, Chitotolo, and Luele. This marked the 14th auction organized by SODIAM, with evaluation sessions taking place from Monday to Thursday last week. A total of 865.19 carats were sold, generating a return that exceeded expectations by 23.33%, according to the company.
Angola’s state-owned diamond companies, Endiama and Sodiam, have officially joined the Natural Diamond Council (NDC) as contributing members, marking a significant step in the country’s integration into the global natural diamond industry. Effective July 1, 2025, both companies will begin their participation with a joint contribution of $8 million for the second half of the year. “By joining the Natural Diamond Council, Endiama and Sodiam are formalizing our dedication to a global strategy that highlights
TaTe Diamonds, Namibia’s first fully Namibian-owned diamond company, has officially entered the United States market with the grand opening of its flagship showroom in Atlanta, Georgia. Located in Buckhead, Atlanta’s premier luxury district, the showroom marks a significant milestone in the company’s international expansion and brand visibility. The launch event drew distinguished Namibian and international guests, with Brent Eiseb, CEO of the Namibian Diamond Trading Company (NDTC), presiding over the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Namibian delegation
On Wednesday, several African countries signed the “Luanda Agreement,” a commitment to defend and promote natural diamonds. Under this pact, the signatory nations agreed to contribute 1 percent of their annual revenues from diamond sales to fund a global marketing initiative for the sector. The agreement was signed by the ministers of mineral resources from Angola, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo)—all key diamond-producing countries. The announcement was made
De Beers, the global diamond mining giant, will commence diamond exploration activities in Angola’s Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul provinces within the next two weeks, according to the company’s CEO, Al Cook. The announcement was made following a meeting with President João Lourenço in Luanda on Tuesday. According to a statement from the Press Office of the Presidency (CIPRA), accessed by VerAngola, the exploration marks the next phase following two years of aerial electromagnetic surveys
Angola is closely monitoring the ongoing restructuring of diamond giant De Beers, following the announcement that Anglo American—its majority shareholder—is planning to sell its 85% stake. The Angolan government is actively engaging with partners to prevent the company from being taken over by parties that lack a genuine interest in the future of natural diamonds. This assurance was given on Thursday by Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, Diamantino Azevedo, during remarks at Endiama’s
Hari Krishna Exports, one of the world’s leading companies in high-quality rough diamond cutting and jewelry manufacturing, has expressed strong interest in investing in Angola. The company plans to establish two diamond cutting factories in the Saurimo Diamond Development Hub, located in the province of Lunda Sul. A delegation from Hari Krishna Exports, led by Dharmesh Dholakia, is currently visiting Angola and has been received by the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, as
Angola’s Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, Diamantino Azevedo, defended the decision to replace Russia’s Alrosa as a partner in the country’s key diamond mining ventures, saying the move was initially misunderstood but ultimately necessary to protect national and sectoral interests. Speaking at a diamond industry presentation on Thursday in Luanda, Azevedo acknowledged that the change “was not always well understood, including by Endiama itself,” referring to Angola’s state-owned diamond company. He emphasized that
