News
Tharisa meets FY2026 guidance, Karo Platinum fully funded as net debt swings to $51m
Tharisa has reported full-year production in line with guidance for both platinum group metals (PGMs) and chrome concentrates, while confirming its Karo Platinum project in Zimbabwe is now fully funded following a $300 million bond issue.
Yesterday
Israel’s diamond sector poised for revival following tax reforms and De Beers comeback
De Beers, one of the world's major diamond market players, has announced the resumption of its operations in Israel after a nine-year absence, which became the latest sign of revival of the diamond industry in the country.
Yesterday
Kefi Gold and Copper restarts Tulu Kapi development after safety review
Kefi Gold and Copper has resumed development at its Tulu Kapi gold project in Ethiopia following a suspension that began on September 7 after a serious safety incident three days earlier.
Yesterday
Nornickel implements smart melt monitoring system
Norilsk Nickel has installed a smart melt monitoring system at its metallurgical plant in Norilsk in collaboration with Reksoft. The system uses computer vision to assist the converter operator in identifying phases during the tapping process.
Yesterday
ALROSA to help amplify Arctic agenda at UN
In preparation for the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31), ALROSA experts and other stakeholders from Russia discussed a unified approach to strengthening the country’s position and the Arctic agenda at UN climate conferences.
Yesterday
Eli Izhakoff: “The industry would clearly prefer to see a widening of the rough and polished diamond price gap”
18 march 2013
The World Diamond Council (WDC) was established in 2002 to pool the efforts of the two pace-setting players in the global diamond market, the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) for their team work within the Kimberley Process. Eli Izhakoff, President of the World Diamond Council, has kindly agreed to answer questions from Rough & Polished.
MIIORI: One of those who believe in values
11 march 2013
Ohanes Agopyan, CEO of exclusive brand MIIORI with offices and stores in New York, Madrid, Moscow and Hong Kong, is a recognized player in the international market of elite gemstones, a real devotee of high-end diamonds. MIIORI absorbed the experience of three generations of jewelers upholding European traditions in jewelry making. Two years ago, the company patented MIIORI’s own one-of-a-kind gem setting technique, Flash-Set, which allows people to see gems changing their color in movement from a different perspective, giving them a holographic effect.
Cecilia Gardner: “The KP is an important element in maintaining the integrity of the diamond supply chain”
04 march 2013
The Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) was established in 1917, a bit less than a century ago, with a view to promote education and self-regulation in the U.S. jewelry industry. Today, the committee acts as a legal adviser to the jewelry and diamond industry in the United States. Cecilia Gardner, President and CEO of JVC, in her interview to Rough&Polished described the current role of the committee, disclosed the reasons that prompted this agency to stay in the World Diamond Council and told about the Kimberley Process and the methods of civilized struggle to end violations of human rights.
No sufficient evidence to demonstrate need for KP re-definition of ‘conflict diamonds’ – Chikane
25 february 2013
The Kimberley Process was last year seized with debate on whether to re-define “conflict diamonds.” Although most developing countries were opposed to the idea, no concrete decision was taken before the end of the U.S.’ leadership of the diamond trade watchdog. Former KP chairperson Abbey Chikane, of South Africa, who recently had an exclusive interview with Rough & Polished’s African Bureau Editor In Chief, Mathew Nyaungwa, said that although debate on the subject will continue this year, no sufficient evidence has been given to demonstrate the need for KP to re-define “conflict diamonds.”
Sierra Leone eyes 800 000 cts this year as it lures large scale diamond miners
18 february 2013
Having gone through a brutal civil war that made world headlines because of the use of diamonds to fund an evil rebel movement, Sierra Leone appears to have turned a new page. Our African Bureau Editor in Chief Mathew Nyaungwa recently caught up with Sierra Leone Deputy Mines and Mineral Resources Minister Abdul Ignosi Koroma in Cape Town, South Africa, who described the state of diamond mining in his country during an exclusive interview.
Zimbabwe diamond beneficiation sector still in its infancy
11 february 2013
The discovery of Marange diamonds in 2006 saw the need for Zimbabwe to derive maximum benefits from its gems. A number of diamond cutters and polishers sprung up in response to Harare’s call to beneficiate its rough diamonds. However, Zimbabwe, according to President Robert Mugabe only polished 0.1 percent of 8.5 million carats of diamonds produced in 2011. Stung by such a reality a generation of local entrepreneurs gathered last year to establish the Diamond Beneficiation Association of Zimbabwe, which had been busy lobbying the government to come up with policies that bolster the sector. This association is chaired by Richard Mvududu who recently spoke to our African Bureau Editor In Chief Mathew Nyaungwa.
VicenzaOro - Shaping a New Consumer Audience
04 february 2013
VicenzaOro, the Italian jewelry exhibition held in January, has turned into an annual tradition kicking off a new season for the industry. We asked Marina Kudrina, the publisher and chief editor of the Jewelry Garden Magazine and also the producer of Jewelry Star, the first professional jewelry brands promotion award in Russia, to share her impressions of the last exhibition.
Ari Epstein: “I am very pleased that we are beginning the year with such a prestigious event as the Antwerp Diamond Trade Fair”
28 january 2013
Ari Epstein, CEO of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), dwelled on the results of the past year and the current situation in the diamond market in his interview to Rough&Polished. He also shared his view of the fourth edition of the Antwerp Diamond Trade Fair.
Yakut Diamond Company: Globalization is inevitable, but that does not preclude our understanding of responsibility for the prospects of diamond industry in this country
21 january 2013
Yakut Diamond Company (YDC) was established in 2007. It has its own diamond-cutting and jewelry operations located in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and is specialized in manufacturing diamonds and diamond jewelry. YDK, being a customer of ALROSA and a participant of the Israel Diamond Exchange, has offices in the UAE and Hong Kong. Below is the interview Alexander Maximov, CEO of YDK, gave to Rough&Polished.
De Beers sees ‘very exciting potential for synthetics in industrial applications’
14 january 2013
Demand for synthetic diamonds has been growing although most women still prefer natural diamonds on their jewelleries. De Beers said that the majority of consumers told the group during an extensive independent research that they wanted the real thing and were not prepared to settle for anything less. De Beers noted that despite its findings it sees an exciting potential for synthetics in industrial applications. Below is the full text of combined interviews our African Bureau Editor-In-Chief Mathew Nyaungwa had with De Beers group head of media relations Lynette Gould and Element Six’s group marketing manager Andrew Basham.
