News
Namdeb seeks State recapitalisation as diamond prices erode revenue
Namdeb Holdings, comprising Namdeb and Debmarine Namibia, has approached the Namibian government for financial assistance as falling global diamond prices cut into revenue, The Namibian reports.
Today
Nornickel and Reksoft Implement "smart vision" to protect production
Nornickel has deployed a neural network-based video analytics system across its facilities, designed to prevent equipment breakdowns and production stoppages, the company’s press service reported.
Today
Lundin achieves record quarterly gold output at its flagship Ecuador mine
Vancouver-based Lundin Gold has reported that in the third quarter of 2026, gold production at its Fruta del Norte mine in southeast Ecuador hit a new quarterly record.
Today
Richemont, Signet in talks to join De Beers consortium – report
Luxury group Richemont and US retailer Signet Jewelers are in advanced talks to join the Global Diamond Consortium (GDC) bidding for De Beers, according to five people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reports.
16 october 2026
Rio Tinto begins Q4 of 2026 with strong operational performance
The Anglo-Australian mining group Rio Tinto has reported its third-quarter 2026 results, highlighting strong operational performance.
16 october 2026
Barclays renews appetite to finance diamond traders
29 april 2016
(Mmegionline) - At a time when most financers are trimming exposure in the diamond sector, Barclays Bank Botswana has expressed a fresh appetite to finance rough purchases by local diamond cutting and polishing firms. Local diamond manufacturers bought diamonds worth $500 million from De Beers last year, which was a 46 percent decline from the 2014 supply. At least 22 sightholder firms are licensed to buy diamonds from De Beers in Gaborone for cutting and polishing before export. Addressing a diamond sightholders networking dinner on Tuesday, head of corporate and investment banking, Kgotso Bannalotlhe said after studying the market in the last few years the bank is now ready to do business with the industry, which is the backbone of the economy.
Venezuela Poised to Reenter Kimberley Process with Eye Towards New Diamond Mining
28 april 2016
(venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela concluded a week of meetings with representatives of the Kimberley Process on April 15, 2016 in what has been hailed as the final steps towards the South American country’s recertification as an international producer of non-conflict diamonds. The Kimberley Process (KP) is an intergovernmental body composed of 81 countries that regulates the international diamond trade by imposing extensive certification requirements on prospective members in order to ensure that diamond exports do not finance armed conflicts. After eight years outside of the process, Venezuela is now in the final stages of reentering the international agreement as a crucial step towards resuming diamond exports.
Andrey Zharkov: ALROSA can act as a market maker at the start of exchange trading in investment diamonds
27 april 2016
(INTERFAX.RU) - In the spring of this year, ALROSA initiated the creation of investment instruments based on diamonds in Russia. To begin with, the company plans to launch futures trading on the Moscow Exchange and then, if the VAT issue will be settled, it will roll out deliverable deals involving diamonds. It is not the first time ALROSA comes up with such an idea, but it is precisely the time when all the prerequisites are there for its implementation, as it is evidenced by the activity of De Beers, Rapaport and the Singapore Stock Exchange in this area, ALROSA’s management believes. One of the goals is to form alternative pricing sources for polished diamonds (right now, the RapNet Diamond Index is actually a monopolistic benchmark). Andrei Zharkov, President of ALROSA explains how his company is going to uphold the investment component of polished diamonds in an interview to Interfax.
Snow leopards
26 april 2016
(polishedprices.com) - I was amused to read over the past few days comments about De Beers increasing prices by what, I think, is believed to be about 2% at their last Sight. I was amused in that there were comments to the effect that some thought that De Beers should have increased prices by more, as in this point of view there is need to dampen the rough market. Generally, it would seem that DTC boxes have been trading at around 5% profit after expenses, which is not a bad profit margin I would have thought. So De Beers is damned whichever way it might turn. I cannot see why De Beers should take the blame if the market in rough is over heating. I don’t know, and frankly cannot be bothered to find out, how many sightholders there are currently, but I presume it is less than 100. If De Beers is selling too cheap in the opinion of some of the less than 100 why are they not increasing their prices to take the heat out of the market and increasing their margin?
Rethinking Rarity
25 april 2016
(ehudlaniado.com) - Some say that lab-grown diamonds are identical to natural diamonds. This is correct only with regard to the chemical structure of the stone. Essentially, a diamond is a particular arrangement of carbon atoms. The atoms align in such a way as to refract light very well and create a beautiful crystal. However, the similarity ends there. While the one is created under the controlled and very exact conditions of a laboratory, the other is a wild, unpredictable, uncontrolled and rare occurrence in nature that takes millions of years, not a mere few weeks in a factory. The public must understand that a natural diamond is not controlled or mass produced. Each natural diamond is unique, has its own story, is a special and exceptional formation. That is why I have stated again and again that the select high-end examples of these exceptional natural occurrences are rare creations that will never repeat themselves. I have closely examined countless diamonds over the course of my career. Each one is different. The high-end gems among them will retain their value over time because of the economy of rarity. That is, if their real value will be explained in a transparent and effective educational campaign.
