Ellah Muchemwa: ADPA to launch Africa's first diamond mining standard next year

The African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA), which is based in Luanda, Angola, and represents the interests of mainly African diamond producers and those with the potential to produce diamonds, will next year launch the Sustainable Development...

04 november 2024

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

Myanmar’s largest lake is threatened by illegal gold mining

05 april 2023
Gold mining is threatening wildlife living in and around Indawgyi lake, Myanmar’s largest natural lake and a UNESCO-designated wildlife sanctuary and world cultural heritage site. This is because, since February 2021 military coup that ousted Myanmar’s democratically elected government, there is absolutely no regulation for the mining industry near the lake in Kachin state.
According to residents, miners dig for gold right next to populated villages, and they have no power to stop them. Not only does the mining contaminate the water that the residents need for drinking, it also causes floods in villages. Polluted streams then flow into the lake, damaging the habitat of rare species living there, including two endangered kinds of fish.
Mining also prevents tourists from coming to see the majestic lake, which sits 166 meters above sea level and is surrounded by mountains. Now the lake faces the prospect of draining due to excessive mining.
In 2016, UNESCO designated the lake as the third largest inland wetland in Southeast Asia, and in 2017 it gave the lake world cultural heritage status.

Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished