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First phase of Lesotho diamond mine project poised for commercial production in second half of 2018
By: Mia Breytenbach 20th April 2018 Angola- and Lesotho-focused diamond miner Lucapa Diamond Company believes that once the Mothae diamond mine, in Lesotho, enters into full production, the operation, paired with the company’s Lulo alluvial diamond mine, in Angola, will position it as one of few worldwide to have two mines... →
Letšeng mining lease to be extended – Gem
By: Anine Kilian 19th April 2018 The Lesotho government has announced its intention to renew JSE-listed Gem Diamonds’ Letšeng mining lease until 2034. The mining lease may be further extended if necessary in relation to any underground development of the mine thereafter. →
Firestone sees high recoveries in first quarter
By: Anine Kilian 19th April 2018 Aim-listed Firestone Diamonds recovered 192 604 ct of diamonds from its Liqhobong mine, in Lesotho, in the three months to March 31. Recoveries were 6.6% higher than the previous quarter, resulting in a year-to-date total of 572 320 ct. →
Police release identities of Limpopo mineworkers killed in petrol bomb attack
By: African News Agency 12th April 2018 Police forensics on Thursday released the names of the six mineworkers killed after a petrol bomb was set off inside the bus they were travelling in to Limpopo's Modikwa Platinum Mine near Burgersfort earlier this month. They are Moniccah Mabilo, 57, from Ga Mahlokwane village, Johannes Malepe,... →
Lucapa raises funds to further exploration
By: Esmarie Swanepoel 9th April 2018 Diamond miner Lucapa Diamond Company will raise A$16.5-million through a share placement to fund further exploration work at the Brooking diamond discovery, in Western Australia. The shares, which will be priced at 23c each, will be placed under the company’s existing placement capacity. →
Firestone recovers 379 716 ct in H1
By: Schalk Burger 27th March 2018 JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Aim-listed Firestone Diamonds recovered 379 716 ct of diamonds from its Liqhobong mine, in Lesotho, in the six months to December 31. CEO Stuart Brown said in a statement on Tuesday that commercial production at the mine had started on July 1 and that the... →
Aucor commemorates its 50 years in business
19th March 2018 From humble beginnings in 1968, Aucor has grown into one of the most successful and experienced auction houses in southern Africa and the company is proudly celebrating its 50th birthday in 2018. “This is an exciting time for Aucor to be celebrating its success and achievements over the past 50... →
In-country partnerships vital to traverse cross border challenges
By: Tracy Hancock 16th March 2018 There are several constraints that hinder the cross-border supply chain in Africa, but the most daunting are the logistical challenges, given the vast distances that need to be covered – primarily over very poor roads – and congested and inefficient border crossings, says facilities management... →
Gem recovers 169 ct diamond at Letšeng
By: Reuters 14th March 2018 LSE-listed Gem Diamonds has recovered a 169 ct to white colour Type IIa diamond at its Letšeng mine, in Lesotho. This is the seventh diamond larger than 100 ct recover at the mine so far this year. →
Gem sells 910 ct Lesotho Legend for $40m
By: Megan van Wyngaardt 13th March 2018 The “exceptional quality” 910 ct D-colour Type IIa diamond recovered from LSE-listed Gem Diamonds’ Letšeng mine, in Lesotho, in January, achieved a price of $40-million on tender in Antwerp, on Monday. Reflecting its significance, the diamond, which is the fifth-largest gem-quality diamond ever... →
Gem Diamonds recovers 152 ct diamond at Letšeng
By: Marleny Arnoldi 7th March 2018 Global diamond producer Gem Diamonds has recovered a 152 ct, top white colour Type IIa diamond from its 70%-owned Letšeng mine, in Lesotho. →
Lucapa recovers first diamonds from Lesotho's Mothae mine
By: Simone Liedtke 12th February 2018 ASX-listed Lucapa Diamond Company has announced its first diamond recoveries from the Mothae kimberlite mine, which it owns in partnership with the government of Lesotho. The largest of the diamonds recovered in the first rest run was 6.6 ct. →
Gem upbeat about number of large diamonds being recovered at Letšeng
By: Simone Liedtke 2nd February 2018 LSE-listed Gem Diamonds' CEO Clifford Elphick is pleased that the improvement in the recovery of greater than 100 ct diamonds at its Letšeng mine, in Lesotho, has continued into this year. "This is largely attributable to the ongoing technical improvements made at the Letšeng mine," he said on... →
Junior projects lighting bright path into Africa for ‘search and solve’ group
By: Martin Creamer 26th January 2018 Motor and controls manufacturer Zest WEG Group, which designs, manufactures, markets and installs electrical products and solutions across the full electrical spectrum, is achieving great success with its new specially crafted ‘pavement pounding, search and solve’ business model that ensures... →
Junior projects lighting bright path into Africa for ‘search and solve’ group
By: Martin Creamer 26th January 2018 Motor and controls manufacturer Zest WEG Group, which designs, manufactures, markets and installs electrical products and solutions across the full electrical spectrum, is achieving great success with its new specially crafted ‘pavement pounding, search and solve’ business model that ensures... →
Gem Diamonds makes fourth 100-ct-plus discovery at Letšeng this year
By: Megan van Wyngaardt 22nd January 2018 LSE-listed Gem Diamonds on Monday reported that it has the recovered a 149 ct, D-colour Type IIa diamond, with excellent shape, from its 70%-owned Letšeng mine, in Lesotho. This is the fourth high-quality diamond of over 100 ct recovered so far this year, and follows closely upon the recovery of... →
Firestone Diamonds revises Liqhobong mine plan to yield better results
By: Megan van Wyngaardt 17th January 2018 Aim-listed Firestone Diamonds, which sold 156 942 ct of diamonds recovered at its Liqhobong mine, in Lesotho, in the quarter ended December 31, has adopted a revised mine plan to increase cash flow in the short term, while resolving issues that affect the value of recovered diamonds. Diamonds... →
Lucapa’s Angola mine delivers its second 100-ct diamond for 2018
By: Megan van Wyngaardt 17th January 2018 Australia-based miner Lucapa Diamond Company is starting the year off on a high note, announcing on Wednesday that it had recovered another 100-ct plus stone at its Lulo project, in Angola. The 116 ct low-quality diamond is the second 100-ct plus stone recovered in the first three weeks of the... →
Only four diamonds are bigger than one just found at famed mine
By: Bloomberg 16th January 2018 A small, embattled diamond miner just hit the jackpot. The 910-carat stone found by Gem Diamonds Ltd. high in the mountains of Lesotho in southern Africa is the fifth-largest in history. Here are the bigger ones: THE CULLINAN DIAMOND →
Gem discovers 910 ct diamond
By: Anine Kilian 15th January 2018 LSE-listed Gem Diamonds has recovered a 910 ct, D colour Type IIa diamond from its Lesotho-based Letšeng mine. The diamond, the largest recovered from the mine, is believed to be the fifth-largest gem-quality diamond ever recovered. →
Silicosis trust has awarded quarter of R400m settlement to qualifying former mineworkers
By: Natasha Odendaal 10th January 2018 A trust formed in 2016 to compensate a group of former Anglo American South Africa and AngloGold Ashanti employees who suffer from silica-related illnesses, has already distributed about R102-million of a R395-million settlement. The Q(h)ubeka Trust was established in March 2016 following the... →
Gem Diamonds recovers two large diamonds at Letšeng
By: Anine Kilian 8th January 2018 LSE-listed Gem Diamonds has recovered two large high-quality D-colour, type IIa diamonds from its 70%-owned Letšeng mine in Lesotho. The recovered diamonds include a 117 ct and a 110 ct diamond. →
Firestone extends sales agreement of BK11 asset
By: Megan van Wyngaardt 20th December 2017 Lesotho-focused Firestone Diamonds has agreed to extend the option period granted to Amulet Diamond Corporation to purchase the Aim-listed company BK11 asset until December, 31, 2018. BK11 is a diamond asset in Botswana, currently on care and maintenance. →
Lesotho mine delivers another high-value diamond
15th December 2017 Global diamond producer Gem Diamonds’ Letšeng diamond mine in Lesotho yielded a high-quality 202 ct Type IIa-D colour, the seventh diamond over 100 ct to be recovered this year. The announcement marks the seventh diamond of over 100 ct to be recovered in 2017 from Letšeng. The mine, it is... →
Firestone revises mine plan amid lower diamond values
By: Natasha Odendaal 1st December 2017 Aim-listed Firestone Diamonds has made a good start to mining at the Liqhobong mine, in Lesotho, with all operational targets within management's control having either been met or exceeded after the mine development project was completed within budget. However, lower-than-expected average diamond... →
Gem unearths 202 ct diamond
By: Megan van Wyngaardt 23rd November 2017 LSE-listed Gem Diamonds has recovered a high-quality 202 ct, D-colour Type IIa diamond from its Letšeng mine, in Lesotho. This is the seventh diamond of over 100 ct to be recovered from Letšeng this year. Letšeng is believed to be the highest dollar per carat kimberlite diamond mine in the world. →
Four zama zamas dead, 15 others arrested after shootout with police
By: News24Wire 23rd November 2017 Four illegal miners have been shot and killed during a shootout with police on an open field in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, early on Thursday morning. Police said fifteen illegal miners, also known as zama zamas, were arrested. →
Lucapa and Equigold deepen relationship
By: Megan van Wyngaardt 21st November 2017 Private Singaporean company Equigold is further increasing its shareholding in Africa-focused Lucapa Diamond Company by converting the last two scheduled quarterly repayments, totalling $3.75-million, into Lucapa shares. The companies in October agreed to enter a $15-million loan facility, which... →
Announcing noteworthy diamond finds keeps market interest high – Paragon International
By: Henry Lazenby 10th November 2017 A review of 61 diamond finds over the past five years, which were significant enough to warrant press releases by the companies that mined them, shows that announcing the diamond finds publicly keeps market interest high, said diamond investment specialist Paragon International Wealth Management... →
Digitalised in-house communications to benefit African mines
By: Robyn Wilkinson 10th November 2017 Mining companies operating in Africa need to think innovatively about how to reach their workforces and consider different access and communication models to ensure healthy and effective employee relations that can significantly improve their bottom lines, says communications provider Wyzetalk... →
3rd ELB Extreme Road Challenge – What A Race It Was!
8th November 2017 Runners vs Cyclists over a distance of 353km ELB is yet again proud to announce that the ELB Extreme Road Challenge was a great success with teams completing the epic journey across border in record time. ELB employees and friends from general industry got together for the third ELB Extreme Road... →
Bristow, Friedland may go head-to-head in on-stage copper-gold debate
By: Martin Creamer 7th November 2017 Dr Mark Bristow of Randgold Resources and Robert Friedland of Ivanhoe Mines may go head-to-head in a live on-stage gold-versus-copper debate at the Investing in African Mining Indaba event at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from February 5 to 8, Mining Indaba MD Alex Grose disclosed... →
Gem Diamonds reports increase in Q3 diamond sales
By: Anine Kilian 31st October 2017 Sales from Aim-listed Gem Diamonds’ Letšeng mine, in Lesotho, increased by 19% year-on-year to $48.1-million in the third quarter ended September 30. The company attributed this to improved demand for high-value rough diamonds, which benefited prices. →
Relook at low-carat pipes could spring big diamond surprises

By: Martin Creamer 25th October 2017 Diamond kimberlites with a very low number of carats per hundred tons have in the past tended to be passed over by diamond mine developers, but their propensity to host big Type II diamonds that sell for large sums of money is now being acknowledged. Although diamond company De Beers walked away... →
Lucapa boosts Lesotho diamond project’s economics
By: Esmarie Swanepoel 23rd October 2017 A new development plan for the Mothae kimberlite diamond mine, in Lesotho, has significantly improvedproject economics, ASX-listed Lucapa Diamonds reported on Monday. Lucapa’s initial plans for the Mothae project would have seen the company process some two-million tonnes of mainly weathered,... →
Lucapa raises funds for second mine
By: Esmarie Swanepoel 9th October 2017 Diamond miner Lucapa Diamond Compnay has secured a $15-million finance facility to develop Phase 1 of its Mothae kimberlite diamond project, in Lesotho. The three-year debt facility has been arranged with a private Singaporean company, and will be repayable in eight quarterly payments starting... →
Firestone recovers its largest diamond to date
By: Natasha Odendaal 3rd October 2017 Aim-listed Firestone Diamonds has recovered its largest diamond to date – a 134 ct gem-quality light yellow diamond – from its Liqhobong mine, in Lesotho. The company believes the recovery, which is the second 100 ct-plus diamond recovered since production started, reinforced the potential for... →
‘Material, newsworthy’ diamond finds on the rise – analyst
By: Henry Lazenby 3rd October 2017 There has been a marked increase in the number of publicly reported special diamond finds in recent years, with 61 of 66 press-released diamond finds in the last nine years taking place in the last five years, noted independent diamond industry analyst and consultant Paul Zimnisky in a new report... →
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