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
Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) and global energy companies TotalEnergies, Eni, OMV, Repsol, and Nabors unveiled ambitious strategies to enhance oil and gas production during the Libya Energy & Economic Summit 2025, held on January 18. TotalEnergies highlighted its exploration progress in Libya’s Sirte and Murzuq basins.“Libya holds 40% of Africa’s reserves, yet much remains untapped,” stated Julien Pouget, Senior Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa. The company plans to finalize an
London-listed Botswana Diamonds has applied for three new prospecting licences to secure key anomalies identified by its recent AI-driven exploration programme. In December, the company’s AI analysis pinpointed seven kimberlite anomalies. Botswana Diamonds already holds a licence over one of these targets and has now applied for licences covering three additional anomalies. The newly identified areas are located in: One particularly promising anomaly lies south-west of Debswana’s Jwaneng mine. Its signatures suggest the presence of
The $20 billion Dangote Refinery is on track to achieve its full refining capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the coming months. According to recent disclosures from refinery officials, the facility is currently processing 500,000 bpd and aims to reach its maximum capacity by June this year. A significant obstacle preventing the refinery from hitting its full capacity has been the insufficient supply of crude oil from the Nigerian market. To address this
Rwanda has confirmed its first-ever oil discovery, identifying 13 reservoirs in Lake Kivu, which lies along its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). “We have oil,” announced Francis Kamanzi, CEO of the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum, and Gas Board, during a parliamentary hearing, as reported by local media outlet Igihe. The discovery follows more than a decade of exploration efforts in the lake. Kamanzi expressed optimism about uncovering additional reserves, noting the significant oil
Botswana has renewed two prospecting licences held by London-listed Botswana Diamonds—licence numbers 224/2007 and 169/2019—for an additional two years, extending their validity to December 31, 2026. The licences cover the KX36 kimberlite discovery and several high-grade geophysical anomalies, with authorisation granted for drilling. KX36, a 3.5-hectare kimberlite pipe, boasts an indicated resource of 17.9 million tonnes at a grade of 35 carats per hundred tonnes (cpht) and an inferred resource of 6.7 million tonnes at
Barrick Gold has announced the temporary suspension of operations at its Loulo-Gounkoto mining complex in Mali after the Malian government seized three metric tons of gold, valued at approximately $245 million, over the weekend. The gold, confiscated on Saturday and transported by Air Force helicopters, is being sent to the state-owned Banque Malienne de Solidarité (BMS) in Bamako, according to sources. This action follows a court-ordered seizure issued by Judge Boubacar Moussa Diarra, based on
