Sales of rough diamonds at Debswana Diamond Company fell by 49.2% to $1.29 billion in the first half of the year, compared to $2.54 billion in the same period last year, according to Botswana’s central bank data. In local currency, sales dropped by 47.3% to 17.555 billion pula. This decline is a significant setback for Botswana, which relies on rough diamond sales for 30-40% of its revenue, 75% of its foreign exchange earnings, and one-third
Rio Tinto’s diamond revenue fell in the first half of 2024, pushing the division into the red amid a global market slowdown and lower production. Sales from the Diavik mine in Canada dropped 40% year on year to $149 million for the six months ending June 30, the mining group reported Wednesday. The diamond unit registered an underlying loss of $65 million, compared with a profit of $44 million a year earlier. While Rio Tinto
Trans Atlantic Gem Sales (TAGS) and Angola’s Sodiam garnered $21.6 million at their second joint tender of special rough diamonds from five of the African country’s mines. The tender saw a 100% sell-through rate, despite current market weakness, TAGS said last week. The companies offered 33 lots comprising 45 diamonds. “The results once again exceeded expectations, with mines expressing enthusiasm to increase rough-diamond volumes to be sold through tenders in the future,” TAGS director Anthony
ASX-listed Lucapa Diamond Company has recovered its fifth diamond weighing more than 100 carats this year at its joint venture Lulo mine in Angola. The 176-carat Type IIa diamond is the forty-fifth diamond over 100 carats found at the mine since alluvial operations began in 2015, making it the eighth largest discovered there. Lucapa notes that the consistent recovery of these large, high-value diamonds has been a significant revenue source for Lulo and has informed
Actress Lupita Nyong’o recently visited De Beers’ Venetia diamond mine in Limpopo as part of her role as a global ambassador for the company. During her visit, she was shown how each facet of the production value chain supports sustainable development. Her tour included the 32,000-hectare Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve, which De Beers uses for nature conservation. The Venetia mine, which began production in 1993, has grown to become South Africa’s leading diamond mine, accounting
Trade union Uasa has signed a five-year wage agreement with the management of the Cullinan mine, owned by London-listed Petra Diamonds. The agreement, effective from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2028, stipulates a 5.5% or consumer price inflation (CPI) increase for entry-level (C Lower) employees for the first three years and a 6% increase in years four and five. C Upper employees will receive a 5% or CPI increase annually for the first three
De Beers has lowered its production plan for 2024 by 3 million carats in response to the diamond market’s ongoing downturn and following a decline in first-half sales and profit. The miner expects to recover 23 million to 26 million carats of rough this year, compared with an earlier forecast of 26 million to 29 million carats, parent company Anglo American said Thursday in its interim results. Production was 31.9 million carats in 2023. The
De Beers has sold an iron-ore interest in Australia as part of its efforts to streamline the business and offload noncore units. The company has entered into a definitive agreement to sell a royalty right related to the Onslow Iron project in West Pilbara, it said Monday. Taurus Funds Management will acquire the subsidiary company, De Beers Exploration Australia, for $125 million in cash up-front and up to $25 million at a later stage. De
Diamond miner De Beers’ new rough diamond sorting, valuation, and sales building, Sky Park, in Johannesburg, has received multiple prestigious green ratings from the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA). The building has earned a five-star interior green rating and two four-star green building ratings. These ratings were awarded for sustainable design elements proposed and approved by the GBCSA, as well as the ‘As-Built’ rating, which evaluates the use of green and sustainable materials
ASX-listed Lucapa Diamond Company has successfully sold six diamonds from the Lulo mine in Angola for $12.4 million in a special tender. The diamonds, totaling 447 carats, included five white Type IIa diamonds and one pink diamond. The average price per carat was approximately $27,700. Managing Director and CEO Nick Selby expressed satisfaction with the tender results, stating, “Our alluvial project in Angola consistently delivers exceptional diamonds that remain in high demand across all market
