Semi-industrial and artisanal diamond mining cooperatives in Angola will lose their mining licences if they remain inactive for more than six months, Geology and Mines State Secretary Jânio Correia Victor warned recently. He was speaking in Luanda at the First Meeting on Semi-Industrial Diamond Operations in Angola. “The withdrawal of licences is the solution, if they do not heed the d...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Diamcor Mining Inc. sold 6,055.28 carats of rough diamonds in its second third-quarter sale and tender. The tender generated total gross proceeds of $693,401, resulting in an average price of $114.51 per carat. The company said that the continuing lower than historical average dollar per carat in its tenders results from a higher percentage of smaller, lower quality roug...Read More
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Although strides have been made in reducing mine fatalities, occupational diseases and industry disasters, there is still work to be done in the mining industry’s quest for zero harm, speakers at the Anglo American Tripartite Health and Safety Initiative, said on Thursday.With the industry continuing its pursuit of zero harm, and having to contend with...Read More
HARARE – State-owned Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Co plans gem auctions outside the country, including in Asian cities, to widen marketing options amid a market glut that’s steadily made polished stones cheaper.The company must explore and penetrate the international market to boost sales volumes and plans 11 international tenders in 2020, according to acting CEO Rob de Pretto.Adverti...Read More
ASX-listed Lucapa Diamonds has confirmed that it is in talks to potentially secure a majority stake in the Project Lulo joint venture (JV), which holds the primary kimberlite exploration licence for the 3 000 km2 Lulo diamond concession, in Angola.Discussions are currently under way with the Angolan Ministry of Mineral Resources and Petroleum and Angola’s national diamond company Endiam...Read More
Dual-listed diamond explorer Botswana Diamonds and Aim-listed Vast Resources have signed a new agreement in respect of their proposed joint venture (JV) in the Chiadzwa Marange area, in Zimbabwe.When the detailed agreement between Vast’s Katanga Mining subsidiary and Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company becomes effective, Botswana Diamonds will be issued with new shares representing 2.5% of...Read More
RAPAPORT... Sotheby's brought in GBP 5.3 million ($6.8 million) from itsFine Jewels sale in London on Tuesday, with many items going for well above theirhigh estimates. The top lot, a necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels featuringa detachable rectangular cushion-shaped, 18.22-carat emerald center stone,surrounded by pear-shaped and brilliant-cut diamonds, sold for $402,375,beating its high esti...Read More
RAPAPORT... Albert Bensoussan has stepped down as CEO of Kering's luxurywatches and jewelry division, the French retail group said Wednesday.Bensoussan joined the owner of Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent in 2014, taking responsibility for its jewelry brands Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo and Qeelin, and its watch collections Girard-Perregaux and Ulysse Nardin. He previously headed jewelry andwa...Read More
RAPAPORT... A jadeite bead and spinel necklace was the top lot atChristie's Hong Kong sale Tuesday, fetching HKD 73.6 million ($9.4 million). The necklace is named the Heavenly Harmony because its 68jadeite beads are perfectly matched from two different roughstones. It was estimated at $7 million to $11 million at the Magnificent Jewelsauction. The entire sale brought in HKD 396.5 million ($5...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Robert Weldon, director of the RTL Gemological Library & Information Center at GIA, has been awarded the Antonio C. Bonanno Award for Excellence in Gemology for 2020.The award is given by the Accredited Gemologists Association (AGA).Before joining the GIA, Weldon worked as a journalist at both JCK and Professional Jeweler, which he helped found. He has photographed some of the...Read More
RAPAPORT... Albert Bensoussan has stepped down as CEO of Kering's luxurywatches and jewelry division, the French retail group said Wednesday.Bensoussan joined the owner of Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent in 2014, taking responsibility for its jewelry brands Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo and Qeelin, and its watch collections Girard-Perregaux and Ulysse Nardin. He previously headed jewelry andwa...Read More
RAPAPORT... A jadeite bead and spinel necklace was the top lot atChristie's Hong Kong sale Tuesday, fetching HKD 73.6 million ($9.4 million). The necklace is named the Heavenly Harmony because its 68jadeite beads are perfectly matched from two different roughstones. It was estimated at $7 million to $11 million at the Magnificent Jewelsauction. The entire sale brought in HKD 396.5 million ($5...Read More
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – South Africa is Anglo American's best performing mining jurisdiction, Anglo American CEO Mark Cutifani said last night, when he chided South Africans for not giving themselves the credit they deserved when it came to transformation already achieved.Cutifani described South Africa as “a wonderful country” and said it remained Anglo's most...Read More
RAPAPORT... In 2100,the diamond industry will look vastly different from its current makeup, MartinRapaport assured diamantaires at the recent Antwerp Rough Diamond Days event. Mostnotably, it will be less influenced by the mining companies as demand dynamicsincreasingly impact the market, the chairman of the Rapaport Group noted."Marketpower is shifting from supply to demand," Rapaport expla...Read More
RAPAPORT... Phillips's Hong Kong sale brought in $9.6 million, with a ruby ring standing out as one of the top-selling items, the auction house said Tuesday. The 5.22-carat pigeon's blood Burmese ruby and diamond ring fetched HKD 6.2 million ($785,970), just over its low estimate of HKD 5.9 million ($753,736) at the Jewels and Jadeite auction. Meanwhile, a convertible ring, which can transfor...Read More
RAPAPORT... The diamond industry has a complicated relationship with fluorescence.Historically, both the trade and consumers saw value in a diamond that fluoresced under ultraviolet light. The perception was that it added to the color of the diamond while also providing various niche marketing opportunities. Take the '80s disco era, when neon was in and a glow-in-the-dark diamond might have been c...Read More
(IDEX Online) - The Gem & Jewellery Skill Council of India has announced that it will be hosting the first Indian Jewellery Excellence Symposium in Mumbai. The two-day meeting will include sessions on different on management, skill and technical subjects. Scheduled sessions include the future in designing using CAD, blockchain technology and upskilling bench skills to reach global standar...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Thieves have stolen three diamond jewelry sets from the Dresden Green Vault. Each set consists of 37 parts each, leading to fears the thieves may try to break them up. Officials are still trying to establish how much was taken in the robbery.According to press reports, there is speculation that the thieves gained entry to the museum after disabling the alarm system by setting fire...Read More
The global diamond industry will require a new narrative and a rebranding to secure its future, a new report has warned.The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) states in its ‘Diamonds Changing Forever’ report that the global industry is at a “major inflection point”.AdvertisementPrices are steadily decreasing, profitability is in decline and access to finance is restricte...Read More
(IDEX Online) - An auction of polished diamonds manufactured by Alrosa and held in New York has generated revenue of $4.8 million. The auction was organized by Diamonds of ALROSA, the company's cutting and polishing division.The company sold 255 polished diamonds with a total weight of 435 carats, or 80 percent of all the stones on offer. This included 73 fancy colored diamonds and nine...Read More