JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Modern, sustainable and innovative mining was capable of building thriving mining communities that were healthier, better educated and employed in greater numbers, Anglo American CEO Mark Cutifani said on Wednesday when he delivered a keynote address at the Joburg Indaba.Cutifani said communities and governments wanted the company to partner with them to ach...Read More
Global diversified miner Anglo American CE Mark Cutifani has been inducted into the South African Mining Hall of Fame for his contribution to the industry over the last 12 years.Anglo American South Africa has about 50 000 employees, working at own- and subsidiary operations in the diamonds, platinum-group metals, iron-ore and coal sectors, across the country.AdvertisementThe Joburg Indaba So...Read More
JOHANNESBURG – Zimbabwe accused the US of ignorance after the US Customs and Border Protection announced it’s blocking rough diamond imports from the Marange fields because they were produced with forced labor.“It’s unfortunate that the US authorities have been misinformed or misled to believe that Zimbabwe is mining diamonds through forced labor,” government spokesma...Read More
RAPAPORT... De Beers has appointed Alastair Bickerstaff as head ofproduct development and sales for its auctions division. The company created the new role to bring the two elementsof the auctions business together so it could better address its customers'needs, it said last week.Bickerstaff, who began working with De Beers in 2005 as a London-basedtrainee rough-diamond valuer, held a variety of p...Read More
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The utilisation of new technologies could make mining a sunrise industry while simultaneously addressing safety and health issues, Minerals Council South Africa president Mxolisi Mgojo said on Wednesday.Responding to a question by Joburg Indaba chairperson Bernard Swanepoel following his keynote address, Mgojo said adoption of the Khumbul'ekhaya safety a...Read More
De Beers Group Auctions has appointed Alastair Bickerstaff as its product development and sales head.The new role is an amalgamation of two instrumental elements of the business, namely product development and sales.AdvertisementAs the head of this new department, Bickerstaff’s mandate will be to develop greater synergy between the two functions and better address the product needs of custom...Read More
It has been said that entering the Elvey Security Technologies headquarters in the Greenstone Hill Office Park, in Modderfontein, Edenvale, is like boarding USS Enterprise on a Star Trek movie set.All the futuristic trappings are evident in this Hudaco company’s Pentagon demonstration room, where the highest of high-security outcomes are reached for organisations that demand towering securit...Read More
The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) presidents’ meeting, after a special session on blockchain technology and supply source traceability, has decided to take steps to further improve transparency in diamond transactions.The decision came after a debate on the conclusions of a panel discussion on traceability, provenance and blockchain technology.AdvertisementThe panel included sev...Read More
(IDEX Online) - AIM-listed mining company BlueRock Diamonds plc recovered a 20.72-carat gem quality stone from the Kareevlei Diamond Mine in the Kimberley region of South Africa. This is the second stone recovered from the mine over 20 carats. The previous stone weighed in at 24.98 carats and sold for $190,000. "I am highly encouraged by the recovery of yet another significant stone whic...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Dutch bank ABM Amro has said it is subject to an investigation by the country's public prosecutor relating to requirements under the Act on the prevention of money laundering and financing terrorism. The bank said in a short statement that it would cooperate fully with the investigation, news of which sent its shares plummeting 12 percent, reported the Financial Times.The...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Blockchain startup Everledger has closed a $20 million funding round led by Chinese Internet-based service provider Tencent Holdings Ltd. Everledger provides blockchain services to a range of sectors including the diamond industry. Everledger's diamond clients include Brilliant Earth, Rare Carat, Chow Tai Fook and GIA, Hari Krishna Exports and the Singapore Diamond Invest...Read More
(IDEX Online) - A Swiss-based laser-cutting company has developed an automated cutting and shaping system for round diamonds it says substantially decreases the production pipeline by combining several processes into one machine.Synova, which is partly owned by De Beers, says the DaVinci system also reduces polishing processes to a final finishing step. "Several cost, skill and labor-intensive ste...Read More
On the second anniversary of becoming a HeForShe Thematic Champion and partnering with UN Women, De Beers Group on Thursday announced that more than 700 women micro-entrepreneurs in Namibia and South Africa have successfully completed their training.The Accelerating Women Owned Micro-Enterprises (Awome) programme was also recently launched in Botswana, creating more opportunities for women micro-e...Read More
Angola is considering the creation of a diamond exchange. This was stated by the country’s Mineral Resources and Petroleum Minister, Diamantino Azevedo, during the recent inauguration of a diamond polishing facility (Angola’s third) in Luanda. (Diamantino means ‘diamantine‘.)Currently, all the country’s diamonds that are produced by semi-industrial and artisanal opera...Read More
LONDON – De Beers is continuing its policy of offering almost unprecedented flexibility to diamond buyers as the mining company works to fend off a slump in demand for the gems, according to people familiar with the situation.The Anglo American unit extended the policy from its August sale to customers this week in Botswana, according to the people, who asked not to be identified as the matt...Read More
Hong Kong showsignals shift to lower price points. Chinese dealers and consumers focused ondomestic spending, with cautious Far East demand affecting sentiment. Steadyinterest in 0.30 to 1.99 ct., G-I, SI-I1, RapSpec A3+ diamonds, and reducedsupply supporting price levels. 3 ct. and larger, D-F, VVS+ weak. Improvedliquidity for inexpensive melee as Rapaport Melee Auction sells $6M (84% byvalue, 76...Read More
Trade cautious, butsales improving in lower price categories. Dealers saw limited sales at HongKong show due to slower traffic and drop in Chinese demand. Decrease in supplysupporting the market as manufacturers reduce polished output. More cuttersentering lab-grown as they seek to improve profit margins and liquidity. RoundRead More
RAPAPORT... Jewelers of America (JA) will honor individuals and brandswhose work raises the visibility and status of fine jewelry and watches at its2020 GEM Awards. Nominees for the media excellence category include Anthony DeMarco, a frequent contributor to Rapaport Magazine. JA will also choose winners in jewelry design and retail innovation. The recipients will beannounced during the award...Read More
RAPAPORT... A technology provider part-owned by De Beers has unveiled anautomated cutting machine that, it claims, will significantly speed up diamondmanufacturing and reduce costs. Synova's DaVinci system is the market's first automated instrument that can produce all 57 facets of a round brilliant diamond in one process, the Swiss company saidThursday. The user only needs to perform one final po...Read More
RAPAPORT... Alrosa is set to finalize its acquisition of diamondmanufacturer Kristall in a $29 million deal in October, following approval fromits supervisory board. Alrosa expects the RUB 1.89 billion sale-and-purchaseagreement to be signed by the end of the month, with a concrete plan for themanufacturer's integration into the company to be in place by the end of the year, it noted. Krista...Read More