RAPAPORT... De Beers' entry into the lab-grown market represents a shift inconsumers' perception of synthetic stones, according to Diamond Foundry. The miner's introduction of a new line of lab-grown stones forjewelry is key for the acceptance of synthetics in the industry, theCalifornia-based producer said. The lack of any large diamond miner's support forlab-grown stones had caused conflict and...Read More
(IDEX Online) - ALROSA said it raised $14.5 million from the sale of special size rough diamonds (weighing over 10.8 carats) at auction in Israel. The Russian miner sold 112 gem-quality lots with a total weight of 1,824 carats. Firms from Israel, Belgium, India, USA and UAE participated in the auction. "This year's third auction in Israel has concluded with good results and a s...Read More
Miners are responding to a rosier metal outlook by increasing spending on exploration and releasing more assay results.Base metal prices are up. Copper bounced off its 2015 nadir of $4,500 a tonne and in the last few months has found a range of $6,600 to $6,700 a tonne, a metal price that ING says is good level to sustain investment. Nickel is on a tear. It jumped to $15,340 a tonne today, its hig...Read More
RAPAPORT... De Beers is expanding its presence in stores that carry the Forevermark brand and improving its omni-channel offering to capitalize on the recent growth in online diamond-jewelry sales."We must remain relevant to consumers and embrace the idea of everywhere commerce," Charles Stanley, president of Forevermark's US operations, said at the brand's annual breakfast presentation at JCK Las...Read More
ELB Engineering Services announced last week that it had been awarded the contract for the drying system for the MV Grand Banks life extension project by marine mining company De Beers Marine. Additionally, the company noted that it had completed train loading station (TLS) and stacker projects for the Assmang Black Rock Mine Operations (BRMO), in addition to completing projects for consumer goods...Read More
(IDEX Online News) - The IDEX polished diamond price index rose in May after a flat performance in April. ...Read More
(IDEX Online News) - Round diamonds saw more rising prices in May than decliners in most categories from 0.18-0.22 carats to 1.00-1.24 carats, while larger diamonds of 4.00-4.99 carats to 5.00-5.99 carats saw few price changes. Risers were particularly prominent in 0.18-0.22 carat stones in G-I, I1-SI2 which were up 4-5%; 0.23-0.29 carats in J-K, VVS1-SI2 were up 4-10%; and 1.00-1.24 carat diamond...Read More
HARARE – Zimbabwe's Parliament has passed amendments to the mining bill after removing clauses that required foreign mining companies to list locally, according to an official record of Parliament's debates seen on Friday.Mines Minister Winston Chitando had last month promised to remove the requirements, which he said caused panic among foreign mining firms and were contrary to the g...Read More
(Bloomberg) - A diamond mine in Botswana sold for $8.1 million at an online auction after its liquidators failed to secure viable offers via conventional bids.Online bids for Lerala Diamond Mine opened on May 24 and closed at 5 p.m. local time Wednesday. Lerala, which is owned by Sydney-based Kimberley Diamonds Ltd., was placed under judicial management in June last year due to weak sales and hig...Read More
Canada-listed Fura Gems (TSX-V:FUR), a new gemstone mining and marketing company headed by the former COO of Gemfields (LON:GEM), is changing its brand identity, including logo, tagline and social media.The company, which began operations a year ago, said the move seeks to strengthen its communication with key stake holders and consumers.The new logo, it said, was inspired by the Fura and Tena mo...Read More
Las Vegas shows open with optimisticoutlook for US market. Dealer trading and prices stable. Savvy suppliers seethe show as networking and branding opportunity. De Beers launches low-pricedsynthetic jewelry collection aiming to differentiate lab-grown from naturaldiamonds. Signet joins De Beers Tracr blockchain, while GIA and Chow Tai Fookpartner on different blockchain initiative. Christie's HK s...Read More
VANCOUVER (miningweekly.com) – There is real anxiety in the oil and gas and mining industries regarding the lack of aptitude to replace an ageing top-level management talent pool, Stephen Diotte, partner and head of leadership services for Odgers Berndtson, in Alberta tells Mining Weekly Online in an interview.He recently joined the executive search firm, bringing veteran consulting experien...Read More
(IDEX News) - GIA laboratory clients can now participate in Proprietary Cut Program for diamonds with branded cut names, the lab has announced. GIA grading reports for diamonds submitted as part of this program will include the branded name of the proprietary diamond cut with the diamond shape and cutting style description. Clients that would like to participate in the program will...Read More
(IDEX News) - Sarine Technologies Ltd has opened its second Sarine Technology Laboratory in Mumbai as scheduled, which is offering services to the Indian polishing centre. The company's first Technology Laboratory was opened in Israel at the start of this year. The Technology Laboratory offers reports on the broadest range of a polished diamond's parameters available in the...Read More
Aim-listed BlueRock Diamonds has raised about £350 000 through the issue of 29.17-million ordinary shares at a price of 1.2p a share. In addition to strengthening the balance sheet, the company will use the larger part of the proceeds to expedite the development of Pipe 1 at its Kareevlei mine, in the Northern Cape....Read More
RAPAPORT... Hari Krishna (HK) Group will receive technological backingfrom blockchain company Everledger for its diamond-provenance program. Everledger will cryptographically certify HK stones destinedfor the Indian manufacturer's "My Diamond Story" brand, letting consumers tracka stone's journey from rough to finished jewelry. The arrangement will enablestorage of information about those diamonds...Read More
RAPAPORT... A Botswana-based consortium bought the Lerala diamond mine for $8.1 million in an online auction on Wednesday, the asset's liquidatorstold Rapaport News.The exact identity of the winner is confidential until the full sale process and regulatory proceedings are complete, John Taylor, associate director of GoIndustry DoveBid South Africa, said Thursday. There were approximately 80 bids f...Read More
RAPAPORT... Sarine Technologies has opened its second laboratory, offeringa full range of grading and documentation services. The new Mumbai facility follows the opening of the company's first labin Ramat Gan, Israel, earlier this year. The lab will produce diamond reports including 4Cs grading,which it will provide using its artificial-intelligence technology. The documentswill also include verif...Read More
RAPAPORT... The Diamond Bourse of Canada (DBC) will start offeringin-house 4Cs grading certification and appraisal services, it said Wednesday. Lou Berdusco (pictured), a Gemological Institute ofAmerica (GIA) graduate gemologist with more than 30 years of experience,will provide the services, which will be similar to those that majorlaboratories such as the GIA offer, the exchange said. Bot...Read More
Mountain Province Diamonds (TSX, NASDAQ: MPVD) said Wednesday it had found a 95-carat gem diamond at its Gahcho Ku?(C) mine located in Canada's Northwest Territories.It's the largest gem quality diamond and the fourth biggest recovered from Gahcho Ku?(C) since production began just under two years ago.The white octahedron of "top clarity" is the largest gem quality diamond and fourth largest ston...Read More