Diamond prices softened slightly in October amid slow trading as businesses closed for Indian and Jewish holidays. Polished inventory levels dropped during the month, but remain higher than usual for this time of year, exerting downward pressure on prices. The RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI™) for 1-carat diamonds slid 0.2% in October and has declined 4.7% since January.The Rapaport Monthly Report – November 2017 notes that the US and Chinese jewelry markets are showing signs of sales growth. However, fewer jewelers are operating in the US: 228 businesses closed in the third quarter, while just 40 opened, according to the Jewelers…
Author: Editor
The latest CITES report on the status of elephants and ivory trade reveals that in 2016, the overall downward trend of elephant poaching in Africa continues, with significant declines seen in East Africa. At the same time, 2016 records the highest level of seizures of illegally traded ivory by weight since commercial international trade was banned by CITES in 1989. The announcement is based on new reports of the CITES MIKE Programme (Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants) and the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS), and updates on the conservation status of elephants provide by the International Union for Conservation…
AIM-listed Botswana Diamonds (BOD) says active exploration has commenced on Vutomi project in South Africa in the Free State Project which consists of four Prospecting Rights covering 50,000 hectares of ground within a kimberlite cluster, which has the iconic diamond mines of Jagersfontein and Koffiefontein at its Eastern end and Kimberley and Finsch at its Western extreme. The Free State Project area was identified by Vutomi using innovative means, involving identification of anomalies using satellite imagery, and from evidence gathered from record archives in Kimberley and Bloemfontein along with ground work follow up. Using the identified anomalies as a…
AIM and ASX natural gas explorer Tlou Energy Limited, says 2D Seismic programme is underway across the Lesedi and Mamba coal bed methane (CBM) Projects in Botswana. The survey, which commenced on October 8, 2017, is targeting areas considered to be highly prospective for the addition of Gas Reserves. The seismic survey comprises ~250km of new data over the company’s Lesedi and Mamba projects including over part of the Mining Licence area. It is being conducted by Velseis Pty Ltd (“Velseis”), an Australian seismic acquisition and processing company that provides a fully integrated range of seismic technologies. Tlou’s Managing Director…
De Beers said its rough diamond production increased by 46% to 9.2 million carats in line with the higher production forecast for 2017, reflecting stable trading conditions as well as the contribution from the ramp-up of Gahcho Kué in Canada. According to Anglo American’s third quarter production report, Debswana production increased by 33% to 6.1 million carats. “Orapa’s production increased by 60% mainly driven by the ramp-up of Plant 1, which was previously on partial care and maintenance in response to trading conditions in late 2015. Jwaneng’s production increased by 23% as a result of planned increases in feed to plant.” Namdeb…
This year was another challenging one for South Africa’s mining industry in light of a decrease in dividends and market capitalisation, various retrenchments across the industry, and marginal increases in taxes paid. However, spot price increases for bulk commodities supported the industry and resulted in a return to profitability after the first substantial increase in revenues in five years. These are some of the highlights from PwC’s ninth edition of SA Mine a series of publications that highlights trends in the South African mining industry released by PwC. Michal Kotzé, PwC Africa Energy Utilities & Resources Leader, says: “The 2017 year can…
The 4th Annual Francistown Comedy & Poetry Night is bringing non-stop laughter and poetic rhythms and stanzas with Botswana, South Africa (SA) and Zimbabwe’s most funny stand-up comedians and acclaimed poets. The audience will be treated to too much hilarity and great silliness from a variety of comics while also enjoying poetic narratives and sound plays from poets. The show promises fireworks on Friday 27 th October at Adansonia Hotel which is easily accessible to patrons who will experience top notch entertainment. The headliners for the upcoming show are top South African comedian Prins Virgil, Zimbabwean Clive Chigubu and Francistown’s…
The public is notified about the emergence of Anthrax infection in Namibia which has affected and caused death to more than 100 hippos. As a result, dead hippopotamus (hippos) carcasses floating in the Okavango River crossed into Botswana from Namibia. Anthrax is an infection caused by bacteria, Bacillus Anthracis, usually transmitted from infected animals. It causes skin, lung and bowel disease. Most anthrax infections are deadly and occur when people touch contaminated animals and/or their products like wool, bone, hair, hide, as well as touching or consuming their carcasses. The infection occurs when the bacteria enters a cut on the…
DHL Express has been certified as a Top Employer in Africa for the fourth executive year, at the prestigious Top Employer Africa 2018 certification ceremony, held at Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Thursday , 12 October 2017. Hennie Heymans, CEO, DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, explains that this is the fourth consecutive year that DHL has been awarded this honour by the Top Employers Institute. “DHL Express values its employees and strives to make the company a rewarding place to work at. We are proud to have that fact affirmed by Top Employers Institute.” This year, DHL was the only company to…
Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE)-listed Minergy Limited, a coal mining and trading company, has announced that drilling and exploration conducted at its Masama Coal Project during 2017 had established a significant increase in the size of the coal reserves. The recent Competent Persons Report (CPR) further established that the quality of the coal was also better than previously indicated. “Comparing the 2016 and 2017 estimates, the total coal resource for the project area increased from 347.1 Mt to 389.9 Mt, an improvement of 12%. Of this, the opencast area has increased from 71.2 Mt to 82.3 Mt, which translates into 25…