Diamonds – Mining, Lab-Grown and Conflict/Blood – Page 46

De Beers, Laurentian dig in on James Bay restoration plans – by Ella Myers (Northern Ontario Business – March 3, 2016)

March 4, 2016

http://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

For the past two summers, Keri Etherington has headed out into the bush in the James Bay Lowlands to collect native plant seeds.

“My favourite part of the job was being out on the land every day,” said the environmental technician student, who was raised in Moosonee. “To get to our seed collection spots, we would have to use the boat, helicopter, or four-wheeler, so this was always fun for me. If we were lucky, we would be able to see wildlife.”

The summer program is part of a joint project between De Beers’s Victor Mine and Laurentian University’s School of the Environment, to make native plant species seed available for the restoration of land around the mine.

Zimbabwe’s Mugabe says government will take over all diamond operations (Reuters U.S. – March 4, 2016)

March 4, 2016

http://www.reuters.com/

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe said on Thursday that his government would take possession of all diamond operations because existing miners had robbed the country of its wealth.

Mugabe’s comments came a week after the ministry of mines ordered all mining companies to halt work and leave the Marange fields, saying they had not renewed their licenses. At the time it denied it was seizing the mines.

“The state will now own all the diamonds in the country,” Mugabe said during a two-hour interview with state broadcaster ZBC TV. “Companies that have been mining diamonds have robbed us of our wealth. That is why we have now said the state must have a monopoly,” Mugabe said.

Zimbabwe court allows firm to return to diamond fields after government ban (Reuters U.S. – March 1, 2016)

March 1, 2016

http://www.reuters.com/

A Zimbabwean court has allowed the largest diamond mine in the Marange fields to return and assume control of all assets after challenging government’s decision to stop mining operations.

Zimbabwe’s mines minister on Feb. 22 ordered all nine companies operating in the diamond fields in the east of the southern African country near Mozambique to stop mining and leave because their license had expired.

Mbada Diamonds, a 50/50 venture between the government and Mauritius-registered Grandwell Holdings, on Monday won a reprieve from the High Court, which ruled that Mbada should have full control of its assets.

Zimbabwe: Gem Miners Leave Marange Worse Off – by Obey Manayiti (All Africa.com – February 28, 2016)

February 29, 2016

http://allafrica.com/

VILLAGERS in areas surrounding the diamond-rich Marange area say mining companies destroyed their livelihoods and left them in poverty that has been worsened by the El Niño-induced drought ravaging the country.

Marange and its surroundings areas are in natural region five, which is characterised by low rainfall and only a few drought resistant crops can survive the extreme weather conditions.

The plight of the communities has been worsened by unsustainable mining operations by diamond companies, which have largely contributed to serious water pollution in Save and other small rivers.

Diamond firm plans to sue Zimbabwean govt over gem mining ban – by MacDonald Dzirutwe (Reuters U.S. – February 24, 2016)

February 26, 2016

http://www.reuters.com/

HARARE, Feb 24 Zimbabwe’s Diamond Mining Company (DMC) plans to sue the government for breach of contract after the Southern African nation banned gem mining in the east of the country, a company official said on Wednesday.

Zimbabwe’s mines minister on Monday ordered nine companies operating in the Marange fields to stop all mining activities and leave immediately because their licences had expired.

DMC general manager Ramzi Malik said that its joint venture contract stipulates that renewing licences was the responsibility of the government, through its state mining arm Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC).

Zimbabwe orders diamond mines shut, says not nationalising – by MacDonald Dzirutwe (Reuters Africa – February 22, 2016)

February 22, 2016

http://af.reuters.com/

HARARE (Reuters) – Zimbabwe ordered diamond mining firms to stop operations immediately on Monday and leave the Marange fields as their licences have expired but denied the government was seizing the mines.

The diamond fields in the east of Zimbabwe near Mozambique are mined by nine firms. Eight, including two Chinese-run companies, are joint ventures 50 percent owned by the government and the other one is wholly owned by the state.

“The JV companies neglected or failed to renew the special (mining) grants. Some expired as far back as 2010 and others in 2013,” Mines Minister Walter Chidhakwa told reporters and executives from the mines in question.

The Largest Diamond Ever Found In Angola Is 404 Carats And Nearly Flawless – by Trevor Nace (Forbes Magazine – February 17, 2016)

February 18, 2016

http://www.forbes.com/

An astounding 404.2-carat diamond, the largest diamond ever discovered in Angola , was recently unearthed. This diamond, at almost 3 inches wide is the width of a credit card and virtually flawless. The Australian diamond mining company Lucapa Diamond Company is the lucky owner of the now 27th largest diamond in the world!

The large diamond is even more rare given its Type IIa rating, 2nd from the highest rating possible for diamonds. Type IIa diamonds make up only 1 to 2% of the world’s diamonds and contain very little to no nitrogen atoms.

Pure diamonds are comprised of rigid carbon lattices, however, most diamonds have imperfections including nitrogen atoms. A typical Type IIa diamond will command a 5 to 15% premium and could be more in rarer large diamonds.

Behind the scenes with DMCC chief at Caracas diamond talks – by Frank Kane (The National – February 16, 2016)

February 16, 2016

http://www.thenational.ae/

CARACAS // The UAE has been handed a 24-carat challenge: how to get the disparate voices and conflicting interests of the international diamond business acting in unison for the good of an industry that is facing serious issues.

Last week, Ahmed bin Sulayem, best known as the force behind the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre – the DMCC, where the emirate’s diamond industry has flourished over the past decade – took the first steps towards meeting that challenge in crisis-torn Venezuela.

The 38-year-old DMCC chairman was the person chosen by the UAE Ministry of Economy to take up the chairmanship of the Kimberley Process (KP), which was set up in 2003 to stem the flow of “blood diamonds” on to the world’s markets. It has proved to be a controversial organisation.

[DeBeers diamond mining and Attawapiskat] Negotiation Is Better Than Conflict – by Xavier Kataquapit (NetNewsLedger.com – February 10, 2016)

February 10, 2016

http://www.netnewsledger.com/

Xavier Kataquapit is a First Nations writer and columnist, who is originally from Attawapiskat Ontario on the James Bay coast.

THUNDER BAY – My people have come a long way in obtaining a life with more opportunity and hope. Through education First Nation people all over Canada are moving into leadership roles in government and private enterprise in Native initiatives and non Native as well. We have very intelligent, well educated, strong and capable leaders in politics, law, education, business and every sector of Canadian society.

I have seen much progress in First Nations first hand with the communities that make up Wabun Tribal Council up here in Northeastern Ontario. Over the past 20 years I have watched these First Nations led by their Chiefs and supported by an administration headed by Shawn Batise as they began to lobby government and the private sector resource industries. Over the years Wabun has become internationally known for negotiating all kinds of agreements with government and the private sector that provide benefits to Wabun First Nations.

Wabun is well recognized across Canada for its expertise in this area and Shawn and the Chiefs have shared their knowledge with other Native organizations. For so many years Native people were very much left out of the loop when it came to participating in any development on traditional lands.

De Beers halts exploration of diamond mine near Attawapiskat, Ont. (CBC News Sudbury – February 08, 2016)

February 8, 2016

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/

Bulk sampling of mine extension may be pushed back as First Nation voices concerns

The De Beers diamond company has ceased exploration of the Tango extension near the Victor mine due to local pushback. The Victor mine is located in the James Bay lowlands of northern Ontario, and is the province’s only diamond mine.

DeBeers is hoping to extend mining operations into a nearby deposit called Tango, but first needs to determine it’s feasibility. The company said the exploration is required as the Victor mine enters its final years.

Tom Ormsby, a spokesman for De Beers Canada, said the company has halted its plan to take a bulk sample of the new mining grounds.

Valentine’s Day: Share the Love – How to Buy Ethical Jewellery – by Liz Earle (Huffington Post – February 2, 2016)

February 5, 2016

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/

Forget flowers, this Valentine’s Day is set to see a record spend on jewellery, an altogether much more significant and lasting token of true love. US retail figures indicate that spending on jewellery for Valentine’s day gifts will top $1.7 billion in the United States alone, climbing from $1.6 billion in 2015 (source: Statista.com).

With such heartfelt sentiment behind these gifts of love and devotion, it’s surprising that so little attention is paid to the provenance of these presents. Whereas the labels on a dozen red roses will reveal precisely where they were grown, and the tag on the designer bag tells us exactly what it’s made of (and where from), our jewellery purchases are strangely silent.

Look down at your wrists and hands – do you know where your adored adornments came from? Does it matter? I believe we should know and that yes, it does matter.

An Open Letter to Leonardo DiCaprio: Taking issue with the star’s rationale for backing a lab-grown diamond company – by Rob Bates (JCK Online.com – January 28, 2016)

January 29, 2016

http://www.jckonline.com/

Through editorially independent, in-the-know, and compelling journalism, JCK magazine offers readers expanded coverage of the most important jewelry industry issues and style trends impacting their businesses.

Dear, um, Leo:

Back in 2006, before Blood Diamond was released, Nelson Mandela reached out to the stars of the movie and the head of Warner Brothers, worried about its impact on diamond sales and, by association, economies in Africa. You later met with him in Africa.

You seemed to be profoundly impacted by your meeting with one of the great figures of the 20th century. You told one interviewer: “Ultimately, diamonds are a source of social and economic stability in Africa, so this movie isn’t to say people shouldn’t buy diamonds.”

Legal, illegal Mozambique rubies and legal Angola diamonds in the spotlight – by Keith Campbell (MiningWeekly.com – January 29, 2016)

January 29, 2016

http://www.miningweekly.com/page/americas-home

Mozambique mining company Montepuez Ruby Mining Limitada has made public its concerns about unfair competition by illegal miners.

The company operates a ruby and corundum mine at Namanhumbir, in the Montepuez district, which lies in the southern region of Cabo Delgado Province. It is 75%-owned by British (London Stock Exchange Aim-listed) enterprise Gemfields and 25% by local business Mwiriti Limitada.

Montepuez Ruby Mining chairperson Asghar Fakir told the Notícias newspaper that illegal mining was still a common occurrence in the area, despite a small decline.

“The phenomenon is not yet fully under control,” he said.

Opinion: Colonial legacy of mining pioneers poses a dilemma for South Africans -by Prince Mashele (Mail and Guardian – January 25, 2016)

January 25, 2016

http://mg.co.za/

The Portuguese set foot in South Africa in the 15th century, and the Dutch settled at the “Cape of Storms” in 1652. But the noses of the first interlopers into southern Africa were not sharp enough to fore-smell Kimberley’s hidden diamonds or the Witwatersrand’s entombed gold.

Diamonds were only discovered in 1867 at Kimberley, and, 19 years later, gold on the Witwatersrand.

The group – of mainly Englishmen and Jews – that descended on Kimberley, following the discovery of diamonds was largely the same bunch of money-mongers who flocked to the Witwatersrand when news of gold broke.

By the time the Witwatersrand became the new Mecca of wealth seekers, Kimberley had already produced a diamond cartel led by Cecil John Rhodes –

Deninu Kue First Nation takes fight for benefits to new Indigenous Affairs minister (CBC News North – January 19, 2016)

January 19, 2016

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/

Wants compensation for not having IBAs with first 3 diamond mines unlike other Akaitcho First Nations

The Deninu Kue First Nation hopes the new federal government will do more to help get it benefits from the Northwest Territories’ diamond mines.

The First Nation is based in Fort Resolution on Akaitcho Territory. Unlike the two other Akaitcho First Nations — the Yellowknives Dene and Lutselk’e — Deninu Kue was excluded from impact benefit agreements (IBAs) with the owners of the Ekati, Diavik and Snap Lake diamond mines because its settlement is on the south side of Great Slave Lake.

“What they’re saying is we’re on the south shore of the lake and all the mining’s on the north shore, but … we’re still negotiating for lands, so we should be part of all IBAs that were given to the other [Akaitcho] First Nations,” said Deninu Kue Chief Louis Balsillie.