Sarine’s David Block: Diamond Industry at Standstill Until Chinese Demand Returns

David Block is CEO of Israel’s Sarine Technologies and has served in the position since 2012. In this exclusive interview for Rough and Polished, Block gives his opinion on the leading issues affecting today’s diamond trade.

11 september 2024

Dr M'zée Fula Ngenge: Demand for considerable-sized diamonds stronger than ever

The African Diamond Council (ADC) chairperson Dr M'zée Fula Ngenge told Rough & Polished’s Mathew Nyaungwa in an exclusive interview that although overall global diamond prices have been somewhat soft, the demand for considerable-sized diamonds...

02 september 2024

Amplats sees prospects as a standalone company

Anglo has revealed its plans to demerge Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), which has operations in South Africa and Zimbabwe, to optimise shareholder value. Rough&Polished contacted Amplats to comment on this and other issues but was referred...

19 august 2024

WFDB President Yoram Dvash Remains Confident Despite Global Diamond Challenges

Yoram Dvash is President of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) having been elected in 2020. He found time in his busy schedule to speak to Rough&Polished about the state of the diamond industry around the world and some of the major...

12 august 2024

Lyudmila Vysotskaya: Amber is a mystical stone, a living substance

Lyudmila Vysotskaya is a Kaliningrad-based amber artist and designer, expert, chairwoman of the Amber Academy and member of the Creative Union of Artists in Decorative and Applied Arts. This summer, visitors could admire the art works by Lyudmila Vysotskaya...

30 july 2024

Harry Winston Prices Diavik Diamond Mine at C$2.6 B

22 august 2012

In its life-of-mine plan released this week, Canadian diamond company Harry Winston estimated the value of the Diavik mine in the Northwest Territories to be worth approximately C$2.6 billion, Israelidiamond.co.il reported. The Diavik is co-owned by Harry Winston, who hold 40% of the project shares, and mining giant Rio Tinto, who hold the remaining 60% of the project shares.
A Harry Winston press release stated that the company planned to proceed with development plans for the A-21 diamond pipe. At a cost of about half a billion dollars, the A-21 pipe would be expected to produce diamonds in five years' time.
The resulting increased productivity would extend the life of the mine for another six years past that date, taking the mine to the 20-year mark. The capital expenditure necessary to maintain the mine's life was calculated to be about C$955 million. Meanwhile, the company's interest in the mine is only about C$800 million, if based on proven and probable reserves, or perhaps C$1 billion, if all resources are tabulated.
The Diavik mine has been in production since 2003.