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/ 7 November 2007

New local diamond facility launched

Africa’s efforts to derive greater benefits from its mineral wealth were boosted on Wednesday with the launch of South Africa’s first black-owned diamond-cutting and -polishing facility. Southern Africa accounts for more than 40% of the world’s diamond output with Botswana being the world’s largest producer of the gem.

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/ 15 October 2007

De Beers backs Africa on diamond cutting

De Beers group managing director Gareth Penny on Monday called on diamond traders in Europe, the United States and Israel to back Africa’s efforts to cut and polish its own gemstones. The head of the South African miner — which controls 40% of the world’s diamond trade –it w said as not altruism to stabilise the diamond business by creating jobs in African democracies.

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/ 10 October 2007

African demands lead to change in diamond industry

Demands by African diamond producers are changing the more than a century-old way the diamond industry has operated. Their insistence that they secure a greater portion of the diamond value chain is driving the dramatic restructuring of worldwide rough-diamond supply channels, industry watchdog the World Diamond Centre said on Wednesday.