Diamond industry giant De Beers recently revealed its aerial surveys had identified eight new high-potential kimberlite sites in the Angolan province of Lunda Sul, and says it has embarked on a collaboration with state-owned Endiama to explore six more areas across the country.
De Beers currently has two mining licences in Angola that are in the prospecting phase, with research aircraft carrying out electromagnetic surveys to identify deposits of a kimberlite, a type of igneous rock considered the most important source of mined diamonds today. By measuring electrical conductivity, surveyors can use anomalous responses to identify kimberlite deposits and more efficiently gather geophysical data for a large area.
De Beers Group CEO Al Cook told Lusa there was no set period for this prospecting phase as exploration can only begin when kimberlite with commercial and economic viability is found. “Then we’ll start our projects and, if we’re successful, this will lead to first production around 2030.”
[See more: De Beers pursues new diamond prospects and best practice in Angola]
Cook spoke to the Portuguese news agency on the sidelines of the 2nd International Diamond Conference in Angola, telling Lusa that he was satisfied with the company’s return to the country in 2022 after leaving a decade earlier. He praised the reforms instituted under the administration of President João Lourenço and the government’s improved transparency. The company is now working with the Angolan government on policy development, cutting and marketing so that the diamonds can be promoted as “some of the best diamonds in the world.”
Such a statement is possible, in part, thanks to an innovative new piece of technology that allows for the traceability of diamonds. Jânio Corrêa Victor, the Angolan mineral resources minister, announced the acquisition of one such device by state-owned diamond trading company Sodiam earlier this week.“For the first time in history we have this technology, which allows us to trace the history of each diamond,” explained Cook. According to De Beers, this enables consumers to shop their values, knowing that they are supporting diamond companies that prioritise environmental responsibility, fair labour practices and contributing to the well-being of local communities. “We have to make Angola’s diamonds really be seen as something valuable,” Cook emphasised.
