JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) - Angola-focused diamond miner Lucapa Diamond Company sold 2 072 ct of diamonds recovered from the Lulo mine, achieving gross proceeds of $1.7-million during its second sale for the year.This represented an average price per carat of $804. The ASX-listed miner said the largest diamond in the sale parcel weighed 44 ct, which also included a vivid pink of 1.9 ct.Adver...Read More

PARIS (Reuters) - French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Monday there remained“much work to do” with Iran over its ballistic missile programme and its role in regional conflicts.Le Drian said after a day of tough talks in Tehran that France would continue discussions with Iran, adding that it was imperative to find a way to bring stability to region.Le Drian was in Tehran o...Read More

Jason Hill, sales director at AppScatter Group PLC (LON:APPS), tells Proactive they're hugely excited to be signing their first major partnership deal since listing on AIM last September.The deal with Airpush will see them promote appScatter's platform to their clients in return for 10% of the revenues generated by the collaboration.  Meet Scancell Holdings Plc, Advanced Blast & Ballistic Sys...Read More

Steel producers in Russia are planning further price rises in the domestic markets for hot-rolled (HR) and cold-rolled (CR) sheet, Metal Bulletin has been told.Metal Bulletin's weekly assessment of the price for Russian 4mm HR sheet was unchanged at 43,000 roubles ($757) per tonne cpt Moscow, including VAT, on Monday March 5.Steel producers kept their March-rolled HR sheet prices for both stockist...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Lucapa Diamond Company Limited and its partners have completed the second sale for 2018 of diamonds from the Lulo diamond project in Angola.   The sale of 2,072 carats of Lulo diamonds achieved gross proceeds of $1.7 million, with an average price per carat of $804. The largest diamond weighed 44 carats, which also included a vivid pink of 1.9 carats.   The latest sale br...Read More

RAPAPORT... The March Hong Kong show closed on Monday with dealers disappointed in the number of buyers that attended, even as they remain satisfied with the recent improvement in Far East demand. "Sentiment is positive, and buyers adapted to higher price levels that emerged in the past few months," said one Israel-based diamantaire who requested anonymity. Many noted that trading before the...Read More

HONG KONG (Reuters) - China may allow its offshore-listed tech giants to sell a form of shares on the mainland, people with knowledge of the plan said, in a move that would pit Shanghai and Shenzhen against Hong Kong in the battle to host the country’s tech giants.While China is home to some of the world’s biggest tech companies, most are listed offshore, including Alibaba Group Holdin...Read More

Travelling exhibition specialist MTE celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary this year, and the company – founded by Tony Wightman in 1993 – owes its success to its deep engagement with the mining industry, enabling MTE to establish long-standing relationships with mines and exhibitors. At the time of its founding, Wightman identified a need for a broader scope of engagement between mi...Read More

Lead and zinc prices on the London Metal Exchange both closed lower on Monday March 5, reflecting recent stock increases. Zinc hit a two-month low of $3,273.50 per tonne today after a massive 78,950-tonne delivery into LME-listed warehouses in New Orleans. The metal was still $59 per tonne lower at $3,296 at the 5pm London close.The metal's cash/three-month spread briefly swung back into contango...Read More

(IDEX Online) - The 61st Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair, organized by the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), Ministry of Commerce, held from February 21-25 attracted visitors from 113 countries with the top five visiting nations being India, Myanmar, China, USA and Russia, the organizers reported.   The Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair is part of the Thai government's aim of mark...Read More

David Bramhill, executive chairman of Union Jack Oil PLC (LON:UJO) tells Proactive the company's increased its stake in the drill-ready Biscathorpe prospect ahead of an exploration well in mid-2018.The deal was agreed in tandem with Humber Oil & Gas, a private company, which is teaming up with Union Jack through a new commercial tie-up focused on acquisitions.  Meet Scancell Holdings Plc,...Read More

RAPAPORT... Macy's sales increased in the fourth fiscal quarter, drivenby a solid performance in several divisions, including fine jewelry, thecompany said last week. Sales rose 1.8% year on year to $8.67 billion for the periodending February 3, while comparable-store sales - from branches open for atleast a year, including licensed stores - grew 1.4%. Total sales fell 3.7% to$24.84 billion for th...Read More

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch government said on Monday it would appoint Stef Blok as foreign minister, replacing Halbe Zijlstra, who resigned last month after admitting he had lied about a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.Blok, who had intended to leave politics after serving as justice minister in the previous cabinet, is a member of Prime Minister Mark Rutte's governing VVD Party...Read More

Exporters of hot-rolled coil (HRC) and cold-rolled coil (CRC) from the Commonwealth of Independent States increased their offer prices in the week ended Monday March 5 because of the higher prices being sought for China-origin material."The increase mainly related to the bullish mood of Chinese exporters, which are pushing prices higher and higher every day," a trader told Metal Bulletin.Metal Bul...Read More

(Reuters) - A U.S. national security panel on Sunday ordered Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O) to put off its March 6 annual shareholder meeting by a month, delaying a long awaited showdown in the company’s attempt to fend off a takeover by Singapore-based Broadcom Ltd (AVGO.O).The order adds to signs that Broadcom’s promise to move its official base back to the United States before it completes t...Read More

RAPAPORT... Easyfairs has partnered with the Federation of BelgianDiamond Bourses (FBDB) and the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) to presentthe upcoming Carat+ show.  "This partnership allows us to associate the Antwerp diamondsector and its organizations to an already successful Carat+ trade-showconcept," Dirk Oosterlinck, managing director of Easyfairs, the event's organizer, said Sunday...Read More

Interserve PLC (LON:IRV) was a late afternoon riser, up 6.3% to 58.5p after a newspaper report said  a Scottish multi-millionaire is spearheading a rescue bid for troubled outsourcer.The Daily Telegraph said pub entrepreneur Alan McIntosh is the serial investor behind Emerald Investment Partners, a private equity vehicle emerging as a key player in the FTSE 250 contractor's refinancing discus...Read More

(Kitco News) - After four years of belt-tightening, the mining sector opened up its purse string, allocating more funding for exploration programs, which gold companies leading the way, according to a report from S&P Global Market Intelligence.The report released Monday, during the 2018 2018 Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention, showed that Global spending on ex...Read More

RAPAPORT... Sotheby's has named two senior managers for its Asian jewelry division: Lisa Chow as deputy chairman, and Jessica Wyndham as department head. Chow (pictured), who has been with the company since 1990, will also maintain her current position as general manager and sales director forSotheby's Diamonds. In her new job, she will be responsible for providingstrategic guidance and building c...Read More

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. shale oil output is set to surge over the next five years stealing market share from OPEC producers and moving the United States, once the world’s top oil importer, closer to self sufficiency, the International Energy Agency said on Monday.A landmark deal in 2017 between OPEC and rivals including Russia to curb output to reduce global oversupply materially improved th...Read More