There are eight new kimberlites that De Beers identified in Lunda Sul, Angola. The multinational has been negotiating with the Government to sell “some of the best diamonds in the world.”
The multinational De Beers identified eight new kimberlites (rocks associated with diamond production) in Angola, in Lunda Sul, and joined Endiama to explore six more areas in the country, the president of the company informed Lusa.
Al Cook, who is in Angola to participate in the Second International Angola Diamond Conference, was satisfied with the company’s return to the African country in 2022, praising the reforms of the executive led by João Lourenço and the improvement in transparency which allowed the multinational to return.
At the moment, The company has two mining exploration licenses in Angolastill in the prospecting phase, used aerial means to carry out electromagnetic studies before starting the excavation phase, said the head of De Beers, on the sidelines of the conference being held today and Thursday in Saurimo, capital of Lunda Sul, a region where most Angolan diamonds are produced.
De Beers has also been working with the Government of Angola in the area of policy development, polishing and marketing. so that diamonds can not only be produced, but also marketed as “one of the best diamonds in the world.”
Asked about the duration of this prospecting phase, he said that there is no defined period, since exploration only begins if a kimberlite (the stone that contains diamonds) with commercial and economic viability is found.
““Then we will start our projects and, if successful, we will lead to first production around 2030,” he said, in an interview with Lusa.
Al Cook also did not want to mention the values of the investments, ensuring that they are large amounts, and gave as an example the diamond mine that De Beers is developing in South Africa and where it has already invested 2.5 billion dollars (2 billion euros).
This activity with research aircraft, supported by a helicopter, also made it possible to identify eight new high-potential kimberlites in which De Beers is working, in the diamond-producing province of Lunda Sul, in addition to six other projects, together with the Angolan State. Endiama diamond company, throughout the country.
Al Cook also addressed the issue of diamond traceability in Angola, following the announcement made on Monday by the Angolan Secretary of State for Mineral Resources, who announced the acquisition of a machine by Sodiam (Angolan state diamond trading company) to track diamonds and certify their origin.
“For the first time in history we have this technology, which allows us to trace the history of each diamond. Today we can tell if it is a diamond from Namibia or Botswana and we will be able to tell people that these diamonds come from Angola. We have to make Angolan diamonds really seen as something valuable,” he stressed.
Source: Observadora
