DiamondBuzz
De Beers’ carrying value to be written down:Anglo American
Anglo American said it expects to write down De Beers’ carrying value for the second year in a row, in response to the industry’s continued weakness.
The London-based miner, which owns 85% of De Beers, wrote in its annual production report that it’s “assessing the impact of diamond market conditions and general fall in demand in China, which is likely to lead to an impairment at the full-year results. We expect full-year 2024 EBITDA for De Beers to be marginally negative.”
De Beers is currently valued at $7.6 billion, following a $1.6 billion write-down last February. Its new valuation will be announced when Anglo releases its 2024 financial results on Feb. 20.
DiamondBuzz
Lesotho’s Kao Diamond Mine To Halt Operations Amid Industry Slump
The Mine’s Operator, Storm Mountain, Cited A Severe Financial Crisis Driven By A Prolonged Drop In Global Rough-diamond Prices, Rising Middle East Conflict
Lesotho’s largest diamond mine, Kao, will cease operations on June 30 and transition to care and maintenance. The mine’s operator, Storm Mountain, cited a severe financial crisis driven by a prolonged drop in global rough-diamond prices, rising Middle East conflict-related fuel costs, and stiff competition from lab-grown diamonds.
Despite a warning last October that the mine required $13 million in fresh capital to survive, the necessary investment did not materialise. According to CEO Neo Hoala, the steep market decline made continued operations unsustainable. The shutdown will impact roughly 750 workers.
The mine’s financial downturn is stark: in 2024, Storm Mountain sold 250,000 carats for $50 million—a massive drop from its $105 million revenue in 2022. Kao’s suspension reflects a broader crisis in the diamond sector, following recent insolvencies and closures at Canada’s Ekati mine and South Africa’s Ekapa and Finsch mines.
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