Gem Diamonds recovers 100 diamonds larger than 100 carats

em Diamonds 140 carat rough

Commenting on the results, Clifford Elphick, CEO of Gem Diamonds, says:

“Gem Diamonds delivered solid operational results which together with the targeted gains of the Business Transformation programme and continued emphasis on cost controls, confirmed our status as one of the lowest-cost producers in the industry.”

“The operational results were characterised by the achievement of all guided operational metrics and the recovery of 11 diamonds greater than 100 carats each, which also brought the total number of diamonds of greater than 100 carats recovered at the Letšeng mine to 100.

“This, together with a 13.32 carat pink diamond that was recovered and sold for a Letšeng record of US$656 934 per carat, reaffirms the unique quality of the Letšeng production.

“The Letšeng mining lease was renewed for an effective 20-year period which creates long-term stability for Letšeng.

“This, together with the continued emphasis on cost controls, positions the Company well for an upturn in the market for Letšeng’s quality production which appears to have begun.”

Source: miningreview

Gem Diamonds Retrieves Another Five Big Stones

GEM diamonds

Gem Diamonds has recovered five large, high-quality stones at its Letšeng mine in Lesotho, continuing a strong first quarter for the company’s production.

The company unearthed four white diamonds weighing 88, 56, 53 and 33 carats between February 28 and March 3. It also found a “top-quality” 13-carat pink diamond.

Those are in addition to the recovery of a 114-carat stone the miner reported last week. It found a 183-carat, white, type IIa diamond last month.

The miner is ahead of where it was this time last year in terms of its large-stone recoveries. In 2019, Gem Diamonds didn’t find any stones over 100 carats until late March. During that year, the company unearthed a 13.33-carat pink diamond similar to the one it found last week. That stone sold to Graff for $8.8 million, fetching a record average price of $656,933 per carat for Gem Diamonds.

While the recovery of large stones bodes well for the company, it has had to cancel a rough tender that was set to take place in Israel from March 8 to 12 due to the coronavirus, the Israel Diamond Exchange reported. Its Belgium auction will proceed as planned.

Source: Diamonds.net

Gem Diamonds Recovers 183-Carat Diamond

Gem diamonds 183 carat rough diamond

Gem Diamonds Limited has announced the discovery of an exceptional 183-carat white Type IIa diamond from the Letseng mine in Lesotho on February 3.

The miner also announced that it also recovered two different high quality diamonds, one of 89 carats and the other of 70 carats, from the mine. 

The Letseng mine is the highest dollar per carat kimberlite diamond mine in the world.

Gem Diamonds first half year profits drop 75 percent compared to 2018

Gem Diamonds published its results for the first half of 2019, reporting a revenue of $91.3 million, compared to $167.7 million during the first half of 2018.

The miner’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) stood at 25.3 million, compared to 70.7 million in 2018. Its attributable profit, from continuing operations was $6.6 million against $26.8 million in 2018.

The considerable fall in income and profits also had its impact on the basic earnings per share: 4.8 US cents from continuing operations , opposite 19.4 US cents in 2018.

Commenting on the company’s results, Clifford Elphick, Chief Executive of Gem Diamonds, said:

“Letseng achieved $ 1,697 per carat for the period with the sale of the 13.32 carat pink diamond achieving a Letseng record of $ 656,934 per carat, reaffirming the unique quality of Letseng’s diamond production.

The prices achieved for the period are 10 percent up from the prices achieved in the preceding six month period, notwithstanding the planned limited contribution from the Satellite pipe ore and current diamond market conditions.

The Group has successfully implemented the business transformation program, already achieving $42 million net of fees, and is on track to deliver the planned $100 million in cost savings and efficiencies by 2021.”

Source: idexonline

Gem Diamonds recovers 140ct. Rough

Gem Diamonds 140 carat rough

Gem Diamonds has recovered a white diamond weighing 140 carats, the second over 100 carats it has reported this year.

It found the high-quality stone on July 6 at its Letšeng mine in Lesotho, the company said Monday. In March, it found a 161-carat white diamond at the deposit.

The miner recently recovered two yellow diamonds from Letšeng weighing more than 100 carats. It retrieved a 134-carat stone in March, and another weighing 135-carats last month.

So far this year, Gem Diamonds has recovered four diamonds over 100 carats. In 2018, it unearthed a total of 15.

Source: Diamonds.net

Gem Diamonds Recovers 101ct. Stone

Gem Diamonds 100.50 carat rough diamond

Gem Diamonds has unearthed a 100.50-carat diamond from its Letšeng mine in Lesotho, it said Friday.

The white, type IIa stone is the 11th over 100 carats the miner has recovered from the asset so far this year.

Gem Diamonds owns 70% of the Letšeng mine, with the state holding the remaining shares. The company also owns the Ghaghoo mine in Botswana, which it plans to sell.

Source: diamonds.net

Diamond Miner Gem Diamonds Finding More Huge Stones

Gem Diamonds 149 carats

Gem Diamonds has recovered another 100 carat plus rough diamond this year.

The recovery of the D colour type IIa stone shortly after the recovery of a 910 carat  D colour IIa rough diamond from Letšeng last week.

Gem Diamonds began extracting ore from a higher grade part of Letšeng last year, resulting in the increase of large stones.

Gem Diamonds Letseng mine is located in the mountainous kingdom of Lesotho in southern Africa.