Angola eyes becoming the world’s largest diamond producer in five years

(miningmx.com) - Angola, long viewed as “elephant country” by geologists searching for major diamond strikes, is finally getting the exploration attention it deserves after a radical transformation of its mining policy. The reforms are pulling diamond explorers back into the country. Over the past year, mining majors Rio Tinto and De Beers have returned to explore for the “holy grail” of a major kimberlite deposit matching existing mines like Venetia. De Beers’ parent, Anglo American Corporation, is also back in Angola looking for copper and nickel. According to Angolan state-owned diamond mining company Endiama GM Pedro Galiano, these are likely to be followed by private investors from China and Dubai, who he says are “interested” at this stage.