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

Glencore mulls loans to boost output at Zambia's Mopani copper mine – report

27 september 2022
Global miner Glencore has proposed a $200-million loan to defray for running costs of Mopani Copper Mines, which is owned by Zambia's State-owned mining company ZCCM-IH.
Under the proposal, ZCCM-IH is also expected to contribute to the loan.
Reuters reports that Glencore, which owned Mopani until March last year is willing to lend up to $ 100 million as a short-term cash injection.
The cash is expected to help Mopani cover general costs including buying reagents and paying workers and contractors.
Glencore sold the mine to ZCCM-IH in 2021 after the government of then president Edgar Lungu opposed the company’s decision to put it under care and maintenance in 2020 due to lower copper prices.
It, however, kept the right to sell Mopani's production.
The mine can produce up to 225 000 tonnes of copper annually, which is about three times its projected output for the year.
Mopani needs an investment of at least $300 million to fund a complicated underground expansion, said unnamed company officials cited by Reuters.
Production at the mine had been on a downward spiral as new investment is being sought.
This has resulted in running costs being hard to cover.

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