Nosiphiwo Mzamo: South Africa’s State Diamond Trader to buy diamonds from other African countries

South Africa’s State Diamond Trader (SDT) is set to buy diamonds from other African countries starting with Botswana. SDT’s chief executive Nosiphiwo Mzamo told Rough & Polished’s Mathew Nyaungwa at the country’s inaugural diamond show, which...

10 february 2025

Edahn Golan: Halo effect from lab-grown diamonds driving high demand for large, 2-carat natural stones in the U.S.

Edahn Golan, owner of the eponymous Edahn Golan Diamond Research and Data, told Rough & Polished's Mathew Nyaungwa in an exclusive interview that their research found a halo effect from lab-grown diamonds. He said the trend among lab-grown diamond...

27 january 2025

Paul Zimnisky: We will see a modest recovery in natural diamond demand and prices in 2025

According to Paul Zimnisky, an independent diamond and jewellery analyst and consultant based in the New York metro area, the natural diamond industry will see a modest recovery in demand and prices this year. Zimnisky said a moderate recovery would...

13 january 2025

African Diamond Council makes traceability its top priority, wants KP to embrace Authentia.io

The African Diamond Council (ADC) has made traceability its foremost priority and has been contributing to a traceability solution called Authentia.io for the last three and a half years, which is now ready to globally satisfy the traceability...

16 december 2024

Gaetano Cavalieri: CIBJO leading the jewelry industry on critical issues

One of the gem and jewellery industry’s most well-known and respected personalities, Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri, has been the president of the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO), for the past 23 years. CIBJO is the oldest international organisation...

09 december 2024

Australia-based miners to receive funding for rare earth projects from US

21 march 2024

The US Export-Import Bank (EXIM) offered about $850 million of investments to Australian mining companies to develop rare earth minerals projects both in Australia and in Latin America.

According to Mining.com news portal, Australian Strategic Materials (ASM) has received a letter of interest for a debt funding package of up to $600 million from EXIM to support construction of its Dubbo rare earths project northwest of Sydney. ASM is expected to make a final investment decision on the Dubbo project by the end of 2024, which has already received a $132.24 million support package from the Australian government.

Another project that EXIM has offered a $250 million financial backing to is Caldeira rare earths mine in Brazil being developed by the ASX-listed Meteoric Resources. Meteoric is targeting an investment decision late next year for Caldeira which will produce such minerals as neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium.

Last year, the US and Australia set up a critical minerals taskforce as Australia looks to become a competitor to China, world's top rare earth minerals producer. EXIM’s support for Dubbo and Caldeira projects is linked to the potential US content in equipment, goods and services. Meanwhile, backing by a government authority is seen as key to attract commercial lenders and private investment to the sector to help secure the critical commodities.

Theodor Lisovoy, Editor in Chief of the European bureau, Rough&Polished