DiamondBuzz
Namibia wishes to acquire a minority stake in De Beers
Namibia has entered negotiations to acquire a minority stake in De Beers, with cabinet approval granted in principle for a three-nation African consortium bid.Target stake: 10–15% at an estimated cost: NAD 9.8–14.8 billion ($570–860 million)
Namibia is coordinating with Angola and Botswana to pool resources for the acquisition, recognizing that individual financial capacity limits their ability to secure meaningful ownership. Anglo American currently owns 85% of De Beers, a stake that has been on the market since 2024. Botswana, which already holds the remaining 15%, has expressed interest in increasing its share and potentially securing majority control. Meanwhile, Angola—initially exploring only a minority position—has unexpectedly escalated its ambitions by placing a bid for Anglo’s entire 85% stake.
Financial capacity remains the primary concern. Namibia acknowledges that collaboration is essential to transform regional diamond production into regional diamond ownership.
DiamondBuzz
Rio Tinto’s Diamond Division Posts $79 Million EBITDA Loss in 2025
Higher output from Canada’s Diavik Diamond Mine offsets revenue decline, but end-of-life pressures continue to weigh on performance.
Rio Tinto reported a challenging year for its diamond business in 2025, posting an underlying EBITDA loss of $79 million despite improved revenues. While the loss narrowed compared to the $115 million deficit recorded in 2024, the division remained under pressure amid a global diamond market slowdown and the nearing closure of its last active mine.
Annual revenue rose 19% to $332 million, supported by stronger production at the Diavik mine in Canada, Rio Tinto’s only remaining diamond operation. Output climbed 61% to 4.4 million carats, driven by the ramp-up of mining activities in the underground section of the A21 deposit, which began scaling up in late 2024.
However, the A21 underground ore body is expected to be depleted by the end of the first quarter of 2026, marking the end of Diavik’s operational life. The company plans to spend approximately $1 billion this year on closure activities related to Diavik, as well as rehabilitation work at the former Argyle Diamond Mine, which ceased production in 2020, and other non-diamond projects.
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