Five diamond diggers tragically lost their lives on Saturday, March 22, following a land collapse in the Kanfuma mining area, located in the diamond-rich territory of Tshikapa, in the Kasai province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The incident occurred after heavy rains on the night of Friday, March 21, which weakened the walls of a diamond pit. The collapse resulted in the deaths of the five diggers working at the site. Their bodies
Petra Diamonds plans to lay off approximately 468 workers at its Cullinan and Finsch mines in South Africa, according to the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). NUM claims Petra intends to replace many of its permanent employees with contract labor to cut costs. The union attributes the job cuts to weak diamond market conditions, operational underperformance, upcoming debt refinancing, and cost-cutting measures. “The NUM believes these justifications are pretexts to sacrifice workers and shield executives
Australia-listed Lucapa Diamond Company has finalized its Mineral Investment Contract (MIC) for the Lulo Joint Venture (JV) in Angola, increasing its ownership stake to 51%. During a three-day meeting in Angola, the MIC committee and JV partners—including Endiama, Rosas & Petalas, and Lucapa—agreed on all outstanding details. The final agreement has now been submitted to the Angolan Ministry of Mineral Resources and Petroleum for formal signing. A signing ceremony is expected soon, with Lucapa set
The exit of Russian diamond company Alrosa from Angola’s Catoca and Luele mines was officially finalized on Monday through the signing of three agreements between Endiama, Angola’s national diamond company, and Taaden, a state-owned mining company from Saudi Arabia. Endiama Chairman José Ganga Júnior explained that Alrosa’s departure was driven by operational difficulties stemming from sanctions imposed on Russia. Over the past 15 months, efforts were made to secure a viable solution for Catoca and
The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) anticipates a N$6 billion decline in tax revenue from the diamond sector this year due to weak global prices. NamRA Commissioner Sam Shivute attributed the shortfall to the struggling diamond market but highlighted that increased tax collections from the mining, fishing, and tourism sectors had helped mitigate the impact. “We have collected N$83 billion for the 2024/2025 financial year. Despite losing N$6 billion in diamond tax revenue, we are still
Trans Atlantic Gem Sales (TAGS) and Angola’s state-owned diamond trader, Sodiam, successfully sold more than $15.4 million worth of large rough diamonds at their first tender of the year. The sale, held from March 5 to 13 in Luanda, featured 36 diamonds over 10 carats, including seven stones exceeding 60 carats. Approximately 95% of the goods found buyers. TAGS, which markets production from seven Angolan mines—Lulo, Tchegi, Somiluana, Kaixepa, Chitotolo, Catoca, and Luele—saw contributions from
The European Union (EU) has announced plans to impose tariffs on US imports, including diamonds, gemstones, and metals used in jewelry production, in retaliation for what it calls “unjustified” taxes imposed by the US on aluminum and steel. “The Commission regrets the US decision to impose such tariffs, considering them unjustified, disruptive to transatlantic trade, and harmful to businesses and consumers, often resulting in higher prices,” the EU stated last week. The proposed countermeasures could
Botswana, the world’s top diamond producer, is ramping up efforts to attract affluent young American buyers to its natural diamonds amid growing competition from lab-grown alternatives. To capture their attention, the country is leveraging social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. As part of this strategy, Botswana recently hosted an exclusive luxury event in New York’s Greenwich Village, where social media influencers were treated to a fine dining experience at a Michelin-starred restaurant, according to
Botswana’s plan to acquire a 24% stake in Belgian gem trader HB Antwerp, initially proposed by the previous government, remains uncertain. The deal, announced in March 2023 by former President Mokgweetsi Masisi, was intended to challenge Botswana’s long-standing partnership with De Beers by allowing State-owned Okavango Diamond Company to receive polished rather than rough prices for some of its sales. However, the agreement was never finalized. “They were still conducting due diligence and never closed
Despite a tough diamond market in 2024, London-listed Gem Diamonds delivered strong financial results, driven by cost containment, operational efficiencies, and strategic capital allocation, CEO Clifford Elphick reported. Global economic uncertainty, persistent inflation, and geopolitical tensions weighed on diamond prices throughout the year. However, Gem Diamonds achieved a 10% revenue increase, reaching $154.2 million, primarily due to the sale of 13 diamonds exceeding 100 carats each. Cost-cutting measures contributed to a 95% surge in EBITDA,
