Rescue efforts are under way in South Africa, where a mine tailings dam burst early Sunday and flooded nearby communities. The ensuing mudslides and deluge from the abandoned diamond mine in Jagersfontein claimed at least three lives with others unaccounted for, according to local media reports. The office of Nkosazana…
Products from Zimbabwe and Democratic Republic of Congo are among those from five nations to be seized by the United States at its borders because they are believed linked to forced-labor violations. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement Tuesday it initiated its investigation following complaints from…
The president of Botswana began an 11-day trip to the United States on Tuesday, leaving from Sir Seretse Khama International Airport as he headed off for his working visit to a number of cities. President Mokgweetsi Masisi will visit Las Vegas, San Francisco, New York and New Haven during his…
Leading American jeweler Tiffany & Co. announced a new initiative Wednesday to ensure transparency in its diamond sourcing. “Tiffany & Co. will begin sharing with our customers the provenance, meaning region or countries of origin, of our newly sourced, individually registered diamonds – a significant step for diamond transparency,” said…
Botswana continues to be an economic bright spot in southern Africa, with the latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) assessment showing a rebound from slower GDP growth in 2017 that’s tied to stronger diamond sales and higher government spending. The IMF assessment team, led by Enrique Gelbard, completed a visit to Gaborone…
A report from the Global Witness organization finds that Zimbabwe’s military and intelligence personnel, along with political elites, are siphoning off the country’s diamond wealth and hiding it from a nation where three-fourths of the people live in poverty. The new “An Inside Job” report looked at five mining companies…
Sea trials are under way for a new deepwater diamond exploration ship, which left the Port of Cape Town for a two-week test of vessel performance before it heads back for final fitting and off to Namibian waters in December. The mining vehicle SS Nujoma, named after Namibia’s first president,…