RAPAPORT... De Beers and Dominion Diamond Mines have submitted paperwork indicating their desire to expand exploration at their current projects in Canada.In a December 31 permit request to Canada's Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, De Beers noted interest in exploring 11 new targets at the Gahcho Ku?(C) mine by the end of February.Of the 11 locations, three are currently ready for drill...Read More
RAPAPORT... Lucapa Diamond Company earned $6.4 million from its last rough sale of 2019, bringing its total for the year to $55 million.The miner sold 3,274 carats from its Lulo mine in Angola for $3.4 million at an average price of $1,037 per carat, it reported in December. Additionally, the company sold a total of 6,617 carats of rough from its Mothae mine in Lesotho, netting $3 million at...Read More
RAPAPORT... Consumer confidence fell slightly in December, The Conference Board reported, forecasting that spending would not improve significantly in early 2020.The business-data provider's Consumer Confidence Index decreased marginally in December to 126.5 from 126.8 in November, reflecting Americans' lower short-term expectations for income and jobs. Consumers' assessment of current market...Read More
RAPAPORT... De Beers and Dominion Diamond Mines have submitted paperwork indicating their desire to expand exploration at their current projects in Canada.In a December 31 permit request to Canada's Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, De Beers noted interest in exploring 11 new targets at the Gahcho Ku?(C) mine by the end of February.Of the 11 locations, three are currently ready for drill...Read More
(IDEX Online) - A panel debate about the future of diamonds will take place at the upcoming Vicenzaoro January show. The debate, which has been organized by The Futurist CEO Paola De Luca, will be introduced by Gaetano Cavalieri, president of CIBJO. The speakers are designer Tomasz Donocik; Esther Ligthart, jewelry blogger and writer, David Brough, editor and co-founder of Jewellery Out...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Lucapa Diamond Company Limited said its production hit a record high in 2019. Annual production reached 49,120 carats with sales from the Mothae kimberlite mine in Lesotho and the Lulo alluvial mine in Angola in totaling $55 million. During Q4 they produced 287 +4.8 carat diamonds, making a combined total of 1,164 such stones during the year including five diamonds sized over...Read More
(IDEX Online) - The non-profit organization Mercury Free Mining (MFM) will test a new technique that could end the use of toxic mercury in artisanal gold mining. The new technique has been developed by Sluice Goose Industries and uses the Goldrop gold separating processor, which it says is significantly more efficient than traditional gold panning. The process will be tested over a 10-da...Read More
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diamond miner Lucapa Diamond Company has reported record production for the three months to December, with 14 007 ct recovered during the quarter.The Mothae operation, in Lesotho, produced 9 837 ct during the quarter, while the Lulo mine, in Angola, produced a further 4 170 ct.AdvertisementLucapa on Monday said that the record results for the December quarter contr...Read More
RAPAPORT... Jewelry sales at Titan Company strengthened during the third fiscal quarter amid solid bridal demand, the Indian retailer said Saturday.Revenue grew 11% year on year for the three months ending December 31, which included the important Diwali season, according to a trading update. Consumer sentiment has been low recently because of an economic slowdown in India, leading to a decli...Read More
RAPAPORT... Nonprofit organization Mercury Free Mining (MFM) will trial new equipment that may eliminate mercury in gold processing.MFM will begin scientific testing of Goldrop, a new separation process created by Sluice Goose Industries. The experiment will take place in conjunction with the Ghana National Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners Association (GNASSM) and the University of Miners and...Read More
RAPAPORT... Sales of jewelry and other luxury items in Hong Kong slid in November, as protests continued to hinder inbound tourism and weaken consumer sentiment.Revenue from jewelry, watches, clocks and other valuable gifts fell 44% year on year to HKD 3.34 billion ($428.9 million) during the month, the municipality's Census and Statistics Department reported last week. Sales across all retai...Read More
RAPAPORT... Jewelry sales at Titan Company strengthened during the third fiscal quarter amid solid bridal demand, the Indian retailer said Saturday.Revenue grew 11% year on year for the three months ending December 31, which included the important Diwali season, according to a trading update. Consumer sentiment has been low recently because of an economic slowdown in India, leading to a decli...Read More
RAPAPORT... The Indian Diamond & Colorstone Association (IDCA) has elected Haridas Kotahwala as president to succeed the outgoing Nilesh Sheth, the organization said Friday.Kotahwala, of Royal India USA, was voted in unanimously at the New York election on November 26. Members elected Nitin Jobanputra from Sanghvi Diamonds as vice president to take over from Sujan Doshi.The board's executive c...Read More
(IDEX Online) - The Indian Diamond & Colorstone Association (IDCA) unanimously elected Haridas Kotahwala as president of the organization. Kotahwala of Royal India USA Inc, succeeds Nilesh Sheth, president of Nice Diamonds. Other appointments at the November 26 elections were Nitin Jobanputra (Sanghvi Diamonds LLC) as vice president; Shekhar Shah (Real Gems, Inc.) and Shiksha Naheta (Empr...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Gemstone sellers using eBay India can now get their goods certified by the Jaipur-based Gem Testing Laboratory (GTL) for a nominal fee. Under a new agreement between the lab and the trading giant, all gemstones sold through eBay will be accompanied by a GTL certificate.The move is designed to increase consumer confidence in gemstones sold online and to boost exports of gemstones an...Read More
RAPAPORT... Nonprofit organization Mercury Free Mining (MFM) will trial new equipment that may eliminate mercury in gold processing.MFM will begin scientific testing of Goldrop, a new separation process created by Sluice Goose Industries. The experiment will take place in conjunction with the Ghana National Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners Association (GNASSM) and the University of Miners and...Read More
RAPAPORT... Sales of jewelry and other luxury items in Hong Kong slid in November as social unrest continued to hinder inbound tourism and weaken consumer sentiment.Revenue from jewelry, watches, clocks and other valuable gifts fell 44% year on year to HKD 3.34 billion ($428.9 million) during the month, the municipality's Census and Statistics Department reported last week. Sales across all r...Read More
RAPAPORT... The Indian Diamond & Colorstone Association (IDCA) has elected Haridas Kotahwala as president to succeed the outgoing Nilesh Sheth, the organization said Friday.Kotahwala, of Royal India USA, was voted in unanimously at the New York election on November 26. Members elected Nitin Jobanputra from Sanghvi Diamonds as vice president to take over from Sujan Doshi.The board's executive c...Read More
Happy New Year! Diamond market gaining confidence for 2020 after relatively good holiday season. Polished prices stable, supported by US and Chinese holiday demand. 1 ct. RAPI -0.2% in Dec. and -5.3% for full year. RAPI for 0.30 ct. +1.7% in Dec. due to China orders, amid positive outlook for Jan. 25 lunar festival. Hong Kong luxury weak as protesters start year with massive demonstration. Dealer...Read More
Polished market quietwith very few foreign buyers in Mumbai over the New Year holiday. Manufacturersraised production since Diwali but continue to operate below capacity. Roughdemand improving amid shortage of better-quality (RapSpec A3+) goods and inanticipation of first-quarter inventory replenishment. Local jewelry marketlimited by high gold prices. RoundRead More