Helga Pombal: Angola's Stardiam finds solution to the threat posed by lab-grown diamonds

Stardiam manager of production Helga Pombal told Rough&Polished's Mathew Nyaungwa on the sidelines of the Angola International Diamond Conference that lab-grown diamonds are creating a parallel market for more accessible stones, combined with lower...

11 november 2024

Ellah Muchemwa: ADPA to launch Africa's first diamond mining standard next year

The African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA), which is based in Luanda, Angola, and represents the interests of mainly African diamond producers and those with the potential to produce diamonds, will next year launch the Sustainable Development...

04 november 2024

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

Metalex ups private placement to finance SA diamond project, gold exploration

22 december 2020
metalex_logo.jpgMetalex Ventures has increased its private placement from $1,2 million to $3 million following much interest shown in the offering.
"Due to the amount of interest shown in the offering, the company has, for the foreseeable future, abandoned any plans to roll back the stock," it said.
The company recently said that proceeds from the sale of the units will be used to advance the recently acquired Viljoenshof Diamond Project in South Africa and for general working capital.
Metalex reached an agreement with Invest in Property 126 (IIP) early this month to acquire an interest in the 3,373-hectare Viljoenshof prospecting license, in South Africa.
The license area, within 30 kilometres of the famous Kimberley Diamond Mines, was last known to have been explored by DeBeers in the 1960s, with two kimberlite pipes, two kimberlite dykes and two kimberlites of the unknown type discovered. 
DeBeers unsuccessfully applied for the exploration license over this area again in 2014, as IIP applied shortly beforehand and was awarded the license. 
Meanwhile, Metalex said proceeds from the sale of the flow-through shares will be used to finance qualified exploration on the company's three recently staked gold claims in Quebec and exploration in search of up-ice source areas of 46 additional highest priority gold anomalies.

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