Diamond market sentiment improved in January, with firm prices after retailers reported a better-than-expected holiday season. Suppliers are gaining confidence about first-quarter orders as jewelers start to replenish stock after holiday sales. The RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI™) for 1-carat diamonds rose 2.2% during January. RAPI for 0.30-carat diamonds increased 2.3%, while 0.50-carat stones gained 2.4%. RAPI for 3-carat diamonds edged up 0.5%. Despite the upswing, RAPI for 1-carat diamonds was down 2.3% from a year ago. RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI™) January Jan. 1 – Feb. 1, 2018 Y2Y Changes as of Feb. 1 RAPI 0.30 ct. 2.3% 2.6% RAPI…
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Anglo America, the global diversified mining group said production at its diamond unit De Beers went up 5% supported by stronger trading conditions, with Gahcho Kué operating at nameplate capacity since Q2 2017. In its Production Report for the fourth quarter ended 31 December 2017, the company said rough diamond production for Q4 2017 increased to 8.1 million carats, reflecting stronger trading conditions as well as the contribution from the ramp-up of Gahcho Kué in Canada. At Debswana, production increased marginally to 5.5 million carats. Orapa’s production increased 14%, mainly due to planned increases in plant performance, and the ramp-up of Plant…
Rio Tinto’s fleet of autonomous haul trucks achieved a significant milestone at the company’s world-class operations in Australia last week by moving their one-billionth tonne of material. Since commencing trial operations in 2008, haul trucks fitted with Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) technology have now moved more than one billion tonnes of both ore and waste material across five sites in the Pilbara including the newly commissioned Silvergrass mine. Last year, Rio Tinto’s autonomous fleet accounted for about a quarter of the total material moved across our Pilbara mines. On average, each autonomous truck was estimated to have operated about 700…
Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) in collaboration with the three (3) Contractors for the North West 440kV Transmission Grid Connection project will hold ground breaking ceremony events at the four (4) Substations – Samochima, Toteng, Mawana(Maun) and Letlhakane next week. The first ground breaking session will be held at Samochima- Shakawe on Monday 22 January 2018 and the Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security Honorable Advocate Sadique Kebonang will officiate at the event. The Toteng and Maun ground breaking sessions will be held on Tuesday 23 January 2018 at 1000hrs and 1430hrs respectively while Letlhakane ground breaking session…
The 2018 Women In Energy Conference, a dynamic interactive side event of the African Energy Indaba (AEI) will take place on the 19th February 2018 at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa. The 4th annual Women in Energy Conference is designed to aid an increase in leadership and the development of women involved in the African energy space. This one-day forum will provide a platform for advancing and promoting talented women within the energy sector. According to the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), there is a gender gap in leadership as women make up only five percent of board executives across the…
African Energy Resources Limited has been listed on the venture capital board of the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) since October 2011. There are currently 22 shareholders holding less than 0.3% of the Company’s shares on issue. Whilst the Company continues to pursue the development of the Sese JV Coal and Power Project, the Directors formed the view that the administrative costs and related obligations associated with maintaining the BSE listing are no longer justifiable and shareholders subsequently voted in favour of a delisting from the BSE at the AGM on 22 November 2017. “A circular to holders of the Company’s shares on the BSE will be released on 19 January 2018 setting out the options available to them with regard to the delisting. The delisting is expected to be completed on or about 16 February 2018 at which time shareholdings that remain on the BSE register will be transferred to the ASX Register.” Affected shareholders should contact Corpserve Botswana to assist with any queries or instructions in relation to the delisting. Following the delisting, queries or instructions should be directed to the Company or to the ASX share registrar, Link Market Services.
Dubai-based Emirates Airline has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to acquire up to 36 additional A380 aircraft. The agreement was signed this morning at the airline’s headquarters in Dubai by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, and John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer – Customers, Airbus Commercial Aircraft. The commitment is for 20 A380s and an option for 16 more with deliveries to start in 2020, valued at US$16 billion at latest list prices. Sheikh Ahmed said: “We’ve made no secret of the fact that the A380 has been a success…
Botswana-based emerging coal mining company, Minergy Limited, has announced its intention to list on the UK’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in the latter part of this year. Minergy owns 100% of the 390Mt (million tonne) Masama Coal Project in the Mmambula Coalfield, in south west Botswana, 50km north of Gaborone. An opencast, low strip ratio mine is currently in the planning phase, with the potential to produce 2.4 Mtpa (metric tonnes per annum) of coal within a year after opening. The company will focus on delivering high quality coal to the regional market, including Botswana and South Africa, and entering…
Tsodilo Resources Limited said it has resumed evaluation activities on the BK16 kimberlite project in Botswana following the traditional extended holiday break in southern Africa. The BK16 kimberlite project is located within the Orapa Kimberlite Field (“OKF”) in Botswana. The diamond mines in the country have produced an average of 27 million carats annually in the last 10 years and Botswana is the world’s largest producer of diamonds by value. In 2016, the OKF area produced 8.85 million carats. Of the 83 known kimberlite bodies, eleven have been or are currently being mined. These are AK01, AK02 and AK07 (Orapa,…
De Beers Group said it is progressing development of the first blockchain technology initiative to span the diamond value chain and provide a single, tamper-proof and permanent digital record for every diamond registered on the platform. The initiative will underpin confidence in diamonds and the diamond industry by ensuring that all registered diamonds are conflict-free and natural, while also enhancing efficiency across the sector. Following the success of an initial proof of concept trial that resulted in a working prototype, a pilot is now underway involving a small number of participants. The pilot will identify key insights and opportunities for…