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

Vladimir Pilyushin: The jewelry market is not stand-alone and moves by the same laws as other markets

Vladimir Pilyushin is editor-in-chief of Russian Jeweler, a leading magazine about the jewelry industry in Russia. He told Rough&Polished about his view on the evolution of the jewelry industry in Russia and touched upon some of its problems.

16 september 2024

Implats lifts stake in RBPlat to 45.82%

19 may 2023
Impala Platinum (Implats) has acquired a further 190,000 shares in Royal Bafokeng Platinum (RBPlat), which it is set to take over.
This constitutes 0.07% of the RBPlat shares in the issue. 
Implats will hold RBPlat shares comprising an aggregate of about 45.82%. 
RBPlat recently said it was highly concerned about the continuous delays in the conclusion of the acquisition bid made by Implats in January last year.
The platinum group metals miner said the delays had effectively kept the company under offer for over a year and a half, which has been a huge drain on management time.
This also harmed the company's ability to pursue strategic initiatives.
Northam Platinum had objected to the acquisition, claiming that certain conditions surrounding the required offer rendered it in violation of competition regulations.
It further presented its acquisition proposal, which was later dropped early in April, paving the way for Implats.
Implats requested last November that the Takeover Regulation Panel (TRP) award it a compliance certificate. 
TRP, however, stated that Northam's remaining objections regarding the alleged violation by RBPlat of the Companies Act and the Companies Regulations needed to be rectified first.
Implats then filed an appeal on March 21 with the Takeover Special Committee (TSC) against the TRP's decision, which was dismissed.
As a result, the TRP's original judgment continues, and the TRP will only give a compliance certificate to Implats if the issues are handled.
Implats has since announced that the long-stop date for fulfilling or waiving the requirements antecedent, as well as the offer's closing date, would be extended to May 31.

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