JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The Botswana sales arm of global diamond miner De Beers, DTC Botswana, has appointed Shrenuj Botswana as its sightholder to support the sustainability of diamond manufacturing capacity in that country.

Shrenuj Botswana, which forms part of the Shrenuj India group, will now be authorised to buy rough diamonds.

The intervention of Shrenuj Botswana would save up to 150 jobs, as the global economic downturn threatened the viability of the cutting and polishing factory in Gaborone, De Beers said in a statement on Tuesday.

The new ownership would mean a change of focus for the factory, which would be working on a range of rough diamonds suitable for Shrenuj’s international downstream requirements for the key global consumer markets.

DTC Botswana MD Brian McDonald said that it would offer assistance to Shrenuj Botswana to ensure the success of the manufacturing facility.

De Beers stated that DTC Botswana’s supply arrangements were nontransferrable, and noted that the decision to supply Shrenuj Botswana had been taken by the board in order to maintain the progress made to date in developing local beneficiation capabilities in Botswana.

Shrenuj Botswana has separately been granted an operating licence by the Botswana government.

To subscribe to Mining Weekly's print magazine email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or buy now.