Exclusive
Diamond market crash is Africa’s opportunity, not its crisis – M'zée Fula Ngenge
Global natural diamond supply is forecast to fall below 95 million carats this year, the lowest since 1987. For Dr. M'zée Fula Ngenge, chairperson of the African Diamond Council (ADC), this is not a death knell but a clarion call. In an exclusive...
12 october 2026
Tracr passes 5 million rough diamonds milestone as De Beers expands provenance push
De Beers Group's blockchain-enabled traceability platform Tracr reached a significant milestone in 2025, with more than 5 million rough diamonds individually scanned and registered, up from 2.8 million cumulative registrations reported in 2024. The...
28 september 2026
South African diamonds head to Hong Kong: SDT partners with BRINKS for JGW 2026
South Africa’s State Diamond Trader (SDT) has confirmed the country's participation in Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong (JGW) 2026 through a partnership with BRINKS. SDT marketing and communication manager Tsholofelo Gopolang Tselapedi...
14 september 2026
David Benderly: PermaScribe seeks to put trust mark on diamond table, not just girdle
In this interview with Rough & Polished’s Mathew Nyaungwa, PhotoScribe Technologies president and chief executive David Benderly explains how PermaScribe differs technically from conventional laser inscription, its potential to strengthen security, and...
31 august 2026
The great reset: Paul Zimnisky on supply catharsis, De Beers' bargain and the case for natural diamonds
The natural diamond industry is in the throes of its most profound reset in a generation. Supply is plunging to its lowest level since 1987 and De Beers—once valued at over $9 billion—is reportedly being sold for as little as $1 billion.
Lab-grown...
10 august 2026
History of Global Financial Disruptions
30 november 2009
The historical development of mankind proves that economic crises are a regular phenomenon caused by the development character of any society. Periods of economic revival are always followed by recession, and vice versa. Proponents of the economic theory devised by Marx and Lenin, who tried to deny this axiom using the class approach and politicizing economic laws, were compelled to recognize the obvious - that crises are inherent not only to the market (capitalistic, based on private property) economy, but also to the planned (socialist or state) economy.
Problems of Gold Mining in Russia
23 november 2009
On November 3, 2009, the Committee on Natural Resources, Wildlife Management and Ecology held parliamentary hearings at the Russian State Duma during which the participants discussed “Ways to Improve the State System of Licensing Subsoil Use.” In the field of precious metals and gems the most aggravated situation is in the gold mining industry. In spite of the upward trend registered in the field in recent years (for instance, during 8 months of 2009 gold output increased by 17 tons or 10% compared to one year ago), the potential of this branch of the Russian industry is far from being used to its full extent due to a range of problems.
Diamond Industry: New Business Conditions
18 november 2009
Recovery is underway, but it will be slow – this is the principal message of the 2009 Antwerp Diamond Symposium that came to its end yesterday in Antwerp, Belgium.The Symposium was the last in a line of conferences organized by the World Diamond Centre (AWDC) with a view to analyze the state of the global diamond industry and to discuss its prospects.
Is Zim’s 50 pc shareholding quest in diamond mines a boon or bane?
16 november 2009
Some analysts questioned if the Zimbabwean government was genuine in its commitment to setting up an enabling environment that would attract the much needed foreign direct investment in the mining industry, which has the potential to pull out the country from the economic quagmire it is currently stuck in.
Gold has a Bright Future
09 november 2009
Experts predict a bright future to the gold market which has only gained strength due to the global financial and economic crisis in no small measure aided by investors’ unprecedented appetite for the yellow metal.
‘Opening’ ALROSA
02 november 2009
ALROSA’s successful sales in the last four months (around $855 million without its sales Gokhran) suggest that the company has seriously improved its marketing policy. This circumstance as well as the company’s successful disposal of its non-core oil-and-gas assets and readiness to trim the obviously bloated staff point to a higher quality of corporate management. These are necessary steps along the way to decrease its debt burden and increase its investment appeal, but they will hardly be sufficient without solving the long-felt basic problem – transforming ALROSA into an open joint-stock company.
Competition in World Diamond Business under Crisis
02 november 2009
Competition is the most important economic category, being the driving power of economic development in a society. At the same time during last decades it is undergoing radical changes due to market globalization and new technological ways emerging in advanced countries within the frames of modern economy.
Rough Market Picks Up
26 october 2009
The rough diamond market produced impressive growth in the third quarter of 2009. Major diamond miners were able to get almost $2.5 billion for their goods which is already comparable with the pre-crisis sales figures. Distribution of market shares is also close to the pre-crisis pattern with 48% belonging to De Beers, 22% to ALROSA (without taking into account its sales to Gokhran), 9% and 6% accordingly to BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, and the rest owned by small-scale diamond mining companies. Rough prices have shifted up quite noticeably – on the average up to 40% vs their minimum in February.
Nanogold Opens New Opportunities
26 october 2009
Modern nanotechnologies allow finding new opportunities even in “eternal values”, such as for instance gold. Surprisingly, but in the nanoworld the so well-known gold transforms to acquire new properties. Thus, it may lose its metal qualities and get semi-conductor features; and when oxidized, nanogold demonstrates magnetic properties.
The Future of Nanodiamonds
19 october 2009
With a weak market of diamond jewelry, it would be reasonable to redirect superfluous efforts to technical application of diamonds. Experts, for example from the Yakutniproalmaz Research Institute, can be quickly re-oriented towards nanotechnologies which are generously financed both in Russia and abroad.
