DiamondBuzz
De Beers Q1 Output Drops 11% as Diamond Demand Slumps
Rough Sales Plunge 44% to $520 Million; Canada and South Africa See Sharpest Production Cuts
De Beers reported an 11% decline in rough diamond production for Q1 2025, totaling 6.1 million carats, amid ongoing weak global demand. The sharpest drops came from Canada (down 40%) and South Africa (down 19%), while Botswana production fell 8% to 4.6 million carats due to planned reductions.
Rough diamond sales also took a major hit, falling 44% year-on-year to $520 million, with 4.7 million carats sold. The average realized price dropped 38% to $124 per carat, driven by a softer sales mix and a 15% decline in the De Beers price index.
Despite the downturn, De Beers reaffirmed its 2025 production guidance of 20–23 million carats, citing flexibility to adjust based on market shifts. The company is also navigating a dual-track strategy to divest or demerge from Anglo American, which is restructuring its portfolio. A new long-term sales agreement with the Government of Botswana was signed during the quarter, indicating a continued strategic partnership.
DiamondBuzz
Diamond Slump forces Debswana to diversify into copper, platinum and solar
Diamond-centric mining models is giving way to broader resource portfolios
Debswana Diamond Company, the 50–50 joint venture between the Botswana government and De Beers, is moving to diversify into copper, platinum and renewable energy as the prolonged downturn in natural diamond demand pressures earnings and forces the industry to rethink its growth strategy.
The company’s board has approved plans to invest in a portfolio of non-diamond projects after revenue fell 46% in 2024, the latest available financial year, highlighting the scale of the downturn in the global diamond market.
The move signals a strategic shift toward commodities with stronger long-term demand fundamentals, particularly copper, which is central to global electrification and energy-transition infrastructure.
Debswana’s diversification reflects a broader industry pivot as diamond producers confront weak consumer demand, rising competition from lab-grown stones and elevated inventories across the supply chain.
The shift is also visible among smaller exploration companies. Botswana Diamonds recently rebranded as Botswana Minerals, signalling its own strategic focus on copper exploration rather than diamonds.
Together, these moves underscore a growing consensus across the sector: the era of diamond-centric mining models is giving way to broader resource portfolios anchored in energy-transition metals.
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