DE BEERS has estimated this year’s overall diamond output from Angola, potentially one of the world’s richest producers, at $750m. De Beers does not have any mining operations in the war-torn southern African state, but is prospecting for gems there. A De Beers representative said the company has three prospecting concessions, but was only working on one due to the risky security situation in the country. De Beers had an agreement with state firm Endiama to market production from the SDM mine, but there was a dispute over that deal, following last year’s decision by the Angolan government to award diamond marketing to Israeli-backed firm Angola Selling Corp. – Reuters