BlueRock Diamonds, which operates the Kareevlei Diamond Mine in South Africa, sold two large stones at the July tender for $121,716.
Company chief executive Mike Houston said the diamonds were sold at an average price of more than $9,000 per carat.
“With the improving access to better quality kimberlite, we are also seeing an increase in the recovery of larger stones,” he said.
“While the market has stabilised since the exceptionally strong first quarter, high quality rough diamonds remain in demand; Kareevlei’s diamonds tick this box and accordingly, our average price remained robust at $607 per carat for the year to date.”
Houston also said that they are seeing a steady upward movement in the grade, and are confident that the grade will be back to about 4 carats per hundred tonnes from September 2022.
The Kareevlei licence area covers 3,000 hectares and hosts five known diamondiferous kimberlite pipes with a combined inferred resource of 10.4 million tonnes or 516,200 carats.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
Exclusive
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
