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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...

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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

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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

Additional priority kimberlites identified at Lulo ahead of exploration ramp up

27 june 2022
Lucapa Diamond Company and its partners in the Project Lulo Joint Venture, Endiama and Rosas & Petalas, provided a progress update on the kimberlite exploration work program in Angola, which has been boosted by the addition of two new high-priority kimberlites for bulk sampling.
The latest phase of discovery drilling has identified 24 new kimberlites, bringing the total number of kimberlites discovered at Project Lulo to 133.
Samples from eight of the 24 recently discovered kimberlites have already been sent to South Africa for indicator mineral picking which will undergo mineral chemistry analysis in Canada.
Of particular interest, are indicator minerals picked from two of the eight kimberlite samples (L056 and L403) containing numerous high-interest deep purple garnets and chrome diopsides, often associated with diamondiferous kimberlites. As a result, they have been added to the list of high-priority kimberlites for bulk sampling. The mineral chemistry results will determine if additional kimberlites are added to the priority bulk sampling list in the coming months.
Construction of the kimberlite bulk sampling plant is advanced, notwithstanding logistics challenges and commissioning is expected during July 2022. The location of the plant has been positioned close to the majority of the key priority kimberlites to reduce sample turnaround time and costs. New trucks have also been mobilised to assist with the ramp up of the kimberlite exploration activities.
Managing Director Stephen Wetherall said, “The construction and commissioning of the bulk sampling plant will enable us to process samples from these high priority kimberlites and bring us one step closer to finding the primary sources of the abundant large and high-value alluvial diamonds which we are recovering at Lulo. From the time that the plant is commissioned we expect to be processing, on average, two bulk samples every six weeks.”