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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
Cancel approval of Jagersfontein open-pit backfilling – geologist
Mining Weekly quoted Youssef Diamonds Liberia chief geologist and Florida International University earth and environmental sciences research professor Stephen Haggarty as saying that the backfilling will destroy the heritage site.
“I find it incredulous that a heritage site will be destroyed by a foreign-supported mining company,” he was quoted as saying.
“That is an absolute disgrace.”
Stargems bought the mine and the surrounding dry tailings dumps last April and remain the owner and operator through its South African subsidiary Jagersfontein Developments.
Jagersfontein Developments made five applications over the past decade with the SAHRA seeking consent to store liquid mine waste in the pit rather than the dam.
Its most recent application was lodged last month.
The Department of Water and Sanitation authorised the immediate pumping of slime from the second compartment of the tailings dam into the pit on September 12, which saw SAHRA giving a green light to the backfilling on September 15.
Jagersfontein Developments’ previous approval to backfill the historical pit in June 2013 was withdrawn after the Jagersfontein Community Trust appealed the decision in 2014.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished