Image credit: Lucapa
It said the second Mothae diamond sale for the year attracted an average price of $1,050 per carat.
The sale included the 215-carat D-colour stone and an 11-carat pink diamond.
"Since re-opening following the six-month COVID-19 suspension, Mothae has shown its quality with regular recoveries of large and high-value diamonds leading to run-of-mine diamond prices above $1,000 per carat for the second sale running," said Lucapa managing director Stephen Wetherall.
"This is [about] 75% above the average diamond price budgeted for Mothae in 2021 and the mine is still to accrete its 50% share of profits from the new cutting and polishing partnership arrangement."
Meanwhile, as a result of the strong production and sales, Mothae re-paid Lucapa a $2 million loan advanced for the development, construction and expansion of the mine.
Lucapa recently completed the Mothae expansion project, which is designed to increase nameplate capacity by 45% from about 1.1 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) to 1.6Mtpa.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
