De Beers has announced Botswana-born Olympic gold medalist Letsile Tebogo as its new global ambassador, further strengthening the company’s ties to the nation where it has played a pivotal role in economic development. Tebogo made history at the 2024 Olympics by clinching gold in the 200-meter race and was later named World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year. This partnership between De Beers and Tebogo underscores Botswana’s remarkable transformation into a leading diamond-producing country, a
Canadian miner Mountain Province Diamonds achieved record-breaking production at its Gahcho Kué mine in 2024, despite facing significant challenges in the global diamond market. “2024 was a year of production records and cost control, overlaid with a challenging diamond price environment,” CEO Mark Wall stated on Thursday. The company struggled with a down-cycle in the diamond market, with its average annual realized price dropping to $98 per carat—a sharp decline from $121 per carat in
South Africa-focused miner Petra Diamonds has agreed to sell its 75% stake in Tanzania’s Williamson Diamonds Limited (WDL) to Pink Diamonds Investments for up to $16 million (£13 million). The remaining 25% of WDL is owned by the Government of Tanzania. WDL operates the Williamson open-pit diamond mine, with Petra acquiring its majority stake in 2009. The buyer, Pink Diamonds Investments, is affiliated with Taifa, a fully Tanzanian-owned company and the long-term technical services contractor
Woodside Energy, Australia’s leading independent oil and gas producer, announced it expects flat production in 2025, projecting output between 186 million and 196 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe). This aligns with its record production of 193.9 mmboe in 2024, though analysts had anticipated figures at the higher end of the range. Despite meeting fourth-quarter revenue expectations, softer-than-expected realised prices weighed on investor sentiment, leading to a 2.4% drop in shares to A$25.12, their weakest
Global nuclear power generation is projected to hit record levels by 2025, driven by rising electricity demand, new projects, and technological advancements, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) report The Path to a New Era for Nuclear Energy. The report outlines the sector’s significant opportunities while highlighting its challenges. Nuclear power currently provides nearly 10% of global electricity, making it the second-largest source of low-emission electricity after hydropower. As global electricity demand is expected
The OPEC Fund for International Development (OPEC Fund) has approved a $30 million loan to co-finance Egypt’s 1.1 GW wind energy project, the largest onshore wind initiative in Africa. This loan positions the OPEC Fund alongside key financial partners, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, African Development Bank, British International Investment, Deutsche Investitions-und Entwicklungsgesellschaft, the Arab Energy Fund, Arab Bank, and Standard Chartered Bank, in supporting the $1.1 billion project. Abdulhamid Alkhalifa, President
The Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) has called on the Belgian government to improve the operating environment for the diamond industry, following what it described as a “crisis” year for the sector. Belgium’s total diamond import and export figures fell by 25% in 2023, driven by “significant economic factors” that impacted both domestic and global markets, the AWDC reported. “The diamond industry is facing a severe global crisis,” said Karen Rentmeesters, CEO of AWDC. “Internationally,
Rio Tinto reported an 18% year-on-year increase in diamond output for the fourth quarter of 2023, reaching 775,000 carats. The rise follows efforts to ramp up production after addressing ground subsidence issues and transitioning to underground mining at the Diavik mine’s A21 pit. The miner completed the first phase of underground development at A21, where open-pit operations concluded in late 2023. Rio Tinto is now scaling up processing in the area to achieve commercial production.
Harmattan Energy, an indirect subsidiary of Chevron, recently drilled the Kapana 1-X exploration well in Namibia’s Orange Basin, but the well did not yield commercial quantities of hydrocarbons. Despite this, the operation provided valuable geological insights, enhancing confidence in future exploration efforts in the region. Chevron had previously obtained an Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) from Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, enabling it to spud up to ten wells in the country over the
Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi has assured Mozambican President Daniel Chapo of plans to expand the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project in the Rovuma Basin, elevating Mozambique’s presence on the global LNG stage. In a congratulatory letter following Chapo’s inauguration, Descalzi reaffirmed Eni’s commitment to strengthening its strategic partnership with Mozambique. He emphasized the company’s dedication to supporting Mozambique’s long-term development through local content initiatives, energy transition efforts, and the implementation of the Coral Norte FLNG
