DiamondBuzz
ZCDC diamond guards accused of cold blooded murder of citizens
Security guards working for the government-owned Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) have killed “scores of citizens in cold blood,” according to a coalition of Zimbabwean civil society organizations.They also accuse the ZCDC of torturing artisanal diamond miners in the Marange diamond fields, as a punishment for alleged illegal mining.
Eight groups, including the National Mine Workers Union of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Artisanal Miners Association and Zimbabwe Diamond Workers Union call on ZCDC to publicly acknowledge their culpability in Mutindindi’s death.
They make a series of additional demands, that includes sending all ZCDC security personnel for human rights training, and conducting a voluntary human rights audit to understand the extent and nature of ZCDC human rights violations.The ZCDC started operations in February 2016 as part of a government initiative aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in the diamond sector.
In 2023 the US sanctioned Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa for human rights abuses, corruption and smuggling gold and diamonds.Mnangagwa, 81, who has held office since 2017, insists the claims against him are “defamatory” and “malicious”.
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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