DiamondBuzz
Lucapa Reports 36% Revenue Growth and Stronger Diamond Prices in Q1 2025
Lucapa Diamond Company delivered a strong financial performance in the first quarter of 2025, reporting a 36% year-on-year increase in revenue. The company earned $12.8 million from three run-of-mine diamond sales and one tender of goods from its Lulo mine in Angola during the quarter ending March 31.
The average diamond price per carat rose by 42% to $1,523, reflecting improved market conditions and a focus on higher-grade mining zones. Lucapa recovered 6,027 carats in Q1, up 6% from the same period in 2024. A 74% rise in the grade of ore mined helped offset the impact of a temporary production halt caused by a community-led blockade.

Managing Director Alex Kidman attributed the strong start to continued operations in the higher-grade lezirias (floodplain areas) during the wet season, noting that the performance represents a marked improvement over the same period last year.
Despite the positive trends in pricing and production, Lucapa flagged potential risks ahead due to recently introduced U.S. import tariffs. Although the tariffs came into effect after the quarter closed, the company said market uncertainty remains, with some buyers pausing purchases amid ongoing trade tensions.
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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