RAPAPORT... De Beers has provided its rough-diamond clients andForevermark partners with guidelines on how to operate in the lab-grown diamondmarket if they wish to continue tapping into its branding.The mining company, which in 2018 forayed intogem-quality synthetics with the launch of its Lightbox brand, is demanding businessesmake full disclosure about their product, segregate synthetics f...Read More

Antofagasta Plc, through its Twin Metals Minnesota (TMM) subsidiary, has filed for operational and environmental permits with state and federal authorities in the United States, the company said on Wednesday December 18.The project - through underground mining - will produce copper, nickel and platinum group metals when operational. The time to go from the study and development process f...Read More

RAPAPORT... Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America (MJSA) hasreelected Steven Cipolla as its chairman for another one-year term.Cipolla is president of National Chain Group, a contractmanufacturer and supplier based in Rhode Island. He has served on the boardsince 2013, becoming chairman in 2016. The board also took onfive new directors, who were elected tothree-year terms, the tra...Read More

RAPAPORT... De Beers' rough sales totaled $425 million in December,the highest since April, as lower price levels and better profit marginsspurred an upturn in demand from sightholders. Buyers are returning to the market after six months ofsluggish activity, market sources said. While sales were 22% lower than a yearago, they improved compared with November's total of $400 million, De Beersreporte...Read More

RAPAPORT... Italian luxury-goods industry group Altagamma has appointedPomellato CEO Sabina Belli as vice president of its jewelry division. Belli will take on the role in addition to her responsibilities at Pomellato. She has been with the Kering-owned brand since 2015,starting out as managing director. She previously worked as managing director of brand and communications at Bulgari. The g...Read More

RAPAPORT... Pandora has hired Carla Liuni as chief marketing officer as the jeweler continues it efforts to reignite consumer demand. Liuni was general manager of Procter & Gamble's luxury personal-care division, Prestige, for 20 years. She joined Bulgari in 2015 as worldwide head of marketing and communication. "As part of our turnaround program, we are significantlystepping up our mark...Read More

Spot activity was low across zinc markets in Asia, Europe and the United States in the week ended Tuesday December 17 with much of the focus on next year's contractual supply premium discussion. Market focus was drawn away from spot activity and toward next year's contractual supply premium discussions.  The International Lead & Zinc Study Group (ILZSG) says both the refined zinc and lead ma...Read More

Aim-listed miner Vast Resources on Wednesday confirmed that progress continues to be made towards drawdown of tranche one of the binding documentation with Atlas Capital Markets.Both parties are said to be working together with the intent to effect the drawdown before December 31, 2019.AdvertisementFurther announcements are expected as it progresses.To watch Creamer Media's latest video reports, c...Read More

RAPAPORT... Gemfields auctioned 12 parcels of rubies backed by G? 1/4 belinGem Lab's Provenance Proof program, the first blockchain-enabled rubies theminer has sold, it said Tuesday. "[The stones] have become the first Gemfields rubies ever topioneer the use of blockchain in facilitating improved supply-chaintraceability," Adrian Banks, Gemfields' managing director of product and sales,expla...Read More

The United States nickel briquette premium hit a fresh multi-month low in the week to Tuesday December 17, with aggressively low offers driving deals lower amid seasonal destocking, while premiums elsewhere were stable.China full-plate premiums stable; potential arbitrage loss dampening spot consumption and capping local premiumsEuropean premiums flat; fresh inflows of material into LME system fai...Read More

Shanghai copper cathode premiums dropped to a six-month low in the week ended Tuesday 17, while in Europe spot interest was muted as market participants eyed lower annual premiums for 2020 and in the Unites States the market remained flat amid poor demand.Shanghai deliverable premium assessments at six-month low EQ premiums trading lower in Shanghai Some sellers start to offer annual premiums in E...Read More

RAPAPORT... Alrosa will help launch a blockchain-based provenance program offering Chinese consumers greater transparency when buying jewelry via WeChat. The e-commerce program, apartnership with blockchain platform Everledger and Chinese Internet giantTencent Holdings, will be available to nearly a billion WeChat users, thecompanies said Monday. WeChat, which is owned by Tencent, is a m...Read More

Anglo American has announced that the value of rough diamond sales for De Beers’ tenth cycle of 2019 amounted to $425-million.This is an improvement of $25-million on the ninth sales cycle, which saw De Beers rake in $400-million.AdvertisementCEO Bruce Cleaver said that the company saw “further signs of steady demand” during the cycle following continued polished diamond price st...Read More

Fastmarkets MB has corrected its weekly assessment for its Zinc SHG 99.995% ingot premium, fca Singapore, which was published incorrectly on Tuesday December 17 as a result of an input error.Fastmarkets' weekly premium assessment for the Singapore FCA zinc ingot premium was originally published at $110-120 per tonne - it has now been...Read More

RAPAPORT... Petra Diamonds has appointed Peter Hill as non-executivechairman, succeeding company founder Adonis Pouroulis, who is stepping down,the company said Tuesday. Hill is currently non-executive chairman of geotechnicalcontractor Keller Group and of building-products company Volution Group. Hewill begin with the miner as non-executive director and chairman-designate onJanuary 1, and will be...Read More

Global industrial company Metso is set to deliver high-performance crushing and material handling equipment to global diamond miner De Beers Group’s Venetia mine, in Limpopo.The Venetia mine is reported to produce an output of about four-million carats, making it one of South Africa’s mineral resource flagships.AdvertisementMetso will deliver two primary jaw crushers and a number of fe...Read More

US Galvalume prices have rebounded along with a recovery in the broader flat-rolled steel markets.Fastmarkets' monthly price assessment for steel coil Galvalume, fob mill US rose to $36.50 per hundredweight ($730 per short ton) on Tuesday December 17, up 5.8% from $34.50 per cwt in mid-November and 2.8% from $35.50 per cwt in mid-October.Lead times are approximately six to 10 weeks, acco...Read More

London-listed Petra Diamonds on Tuesday announced the appointment of mining engineer Peter Hill as nonexecutive director and chairperson to succeed founder and chairperson Adonis Pouroulis on March 31.Hill, currently chairperson of the world’s largest geotechnical contractor Keller Group and of building products company Volution, will be chairperson designate from January 1.AdvertisementHe b...Read More

The United States Department of Justice has closed its anti-trust review of Tenaris' acquisition of Ipsco Tubulars, clearing the way for the completion of the purchase from Russia's TMK, Tenaris said in a statement on Tuesday December 17."Tenaris expects to be able to consummate the transaction shortly," the Luxembourg-based company said in its statement. In March, Tenaris agreed to buy Ipsco...Read More

PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diamond miner Lucapa has generated a further A$9.3-million in revenues following its latest diamond tender.The Africa-focused miner on Monday said that 3 274 ct of diamonds from its Lulo mine, in Angola, was sold for gross proceeds of A$5-million, representing an average price per carat of A$1 517.AdvertisementA further 6 617 ct of diamonds from the Mothae mine, in...Read More