Dmitry Fedorov: I want our jewelry to be displayed at a museum in the future

Dmitry Fedorov is the founder of the eponymous jewelry house. His main focus is the creation of Orthodox-inspired premium luxury jewelry of high artistic merit. He told Rough&Polished about his journey in the jewelry industry, about choosing the ‘Orthodox...

28 october 2024

Responsible business practices ‘no longer optional’, says WDC President Feriel Zerouki

The president of the World Diamond Council takes time out of her busy schedule to tell Rough&Polished readers about the critical work of the WDC. Zerouki, the first female present of the body, which includes all the important industry organizations among...

14 october 2024

James Campbell: Botswana Diamonds optimistic as it enters uncharted territory of using AI for mineral exploration

London-listed Botswana Diamonds has expressed optimism about the company’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) to scan the exploration database in Botswana to look for new mineralised deposits. Company managing director James Campbell told Rough...

07 october 2024

Artur Salyakayev: For me, happiness is freedom to make my ideas happen and create valuable products

Artur Salyakayev is an art entrepreneur, founder of the International Jewelry Academy (IJA) and the INCRUA jewelry company. He has initiated and developed successful projects in jewelry industry and services sector. He is also a leading expert...

30 september 2024

Paul Zimnisky: China key for sustained recovery in demand for natural diamonds, prices

The curtailing of upstream and midstream natural diamond production in the past months is starting to have an effect on prices, according to the New-York-based independent diamond and jewellery analyst and consultant, Paul Zimnisky. He told Rough & Polished’s...

23 september 2024

South Africa, Venezuela ink diamond mining deal

08 june 2017
South Africa and Venezuela have reportedly signed an agreement on the setting up of joint ventures in mining, particularly diamonds, in Orinoco Mining, south Venezuela.
The work area was said to cover 10,000 hectares and it holds about 40 million carats of diamonds.
Diamond Loupe, citing El Universal, reports that South African deputy minister of mineral resources, Godfrey Oliphant, and his Venezuelan counterpart, Víctor Cano, signed the agreement, with a focus on environmentally friendly technology.
Meanwhile, Venezuela's Minister for ecological mining development, Jorge Arreaza thanked South Africa for helping the South American country end its eight-year absence from the Kimberley Process.
"South Africa has also been very supportive of Venezuela's reincorporation into the Kimberley Process,” he was quoted as saying.
“Thanks to them, we are here today to develop joint diamond projects, projects where the Venezuelan state maintains a sovereign majority of the shares of joint ventures or strategic alliances."
Venezuela rejoined the Kimberley Process last November after it stopped issuing export certificates in 2005 and unilaterally removed itself three years later as an active participant in the diamond watchdog.
It exported 23,472 carats of rough worth $882,130 in 2005, according to KP data.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished