Rockwell Diamonds said its first-quarter output leaped 90 percent to 9,162 carats due to the over-recovery of small diamonds fr om old recovery tailings at the Saxendrift Hill Complex and improved output fr om royalty mining contractors operating on the Tirisano property in South Africa.
The company produced 4,362 carats from its operations while royalty mining contractors added 4,800 carats.
Rockwell said it carried forward into the second quarter a considerable inventory of 5,237 carats.
This included the royalty contract miners’ inventory of 2,271 carats.
“These results are underpinned by our increasingly diversified production profile in the MOR (Middle Orange River) wh ere we now have three producing MOR mines, all of which have multiple mining faces. We saw a progressive improvement in production as a result of sticking to our MOR-focused strategy during the first quarter,” company chief executive James Campbell said.
“These culminated in all-time record carat production for the company during the month of May. Contributing to this milestone was the improving performance at Niewejaarskraal wh ere we mined according to the new mine plan and completed the production ramp up.”
Meanwhile, Rockwell said its MOR operations reported a 30 percent increase in carat sales and a 5 percent increase in the value of sales to $6.3-million.
The value of sales from royalty mining contractors increased 132 percent to $2.5-million, of which $312,576 accrued to the company.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
Exclusive
Yoram Dvash: Industry unity, producer leadership and marketing investment key to natural diamond's future
The natural diamond industry is navigating a period of significant transition, but there are increasing signs that the foundations for a stronger and more positive future are being built, according to the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB)...
29 june 2026
AWDC: First fully traceable artisanal diamonds from DRC sold on the international market in Antwerp
In a historic milestone for the diamond industry, fully traceable, artisanal diamonds from the Democratic Republic of Congo have been sold on the international market for the very first time in Antwerp. Below, Ine Tassignon, AWDC spokesperson, provides...
22 june 2026
Natural diamonds most desired luxury jewellery, Gen Z spending double baby boomers, reveals De Beers report
Natural diamonds remain the most desired jewellery item among US consumers, with Millennials and Gen Z driving demand value and spending, according to De Beers Group’s The Diamond Report, which draws on the biannual Diamond Acquisition Study of 18,500...
15 june 2026
Edahn Golan: India’s lab-grown diamond exports surpass natural diamonds by volume, yet value gap widens
India’s diamond industry has reached a historic turning point. In March and April 2026, the volume of lab‑grown diamond exports overtook that of natural diamonds, with lab‑grown stones accounting for 51% and 50.4% of total export volume respectively...
01 june 2026
Dr M’zée Fula-Ngenge: Kimberley Process failing Africa
The Kimberley Process (KP) is failing Africa, and the world's definition of a “conflict diamond” is a moral and legal absurdity, according to the African Diamond Council (ADC) chairperson M’zée Fula-Ngenge. The following exclusive...
18 may 2026
