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The annual Mining Indaba in Cape Town this week again shines a spotlight on the importance of institutions and incentives if mining is to yield broad-based development across Africa. (Wikimedia Commons)
BOTSWANA

To render mining valuable, time horizons must shift

The annual Mining Indaba in Cape Town this week again shines a spotlight on the importance of institutions and incentives if mining is to yield broad-based development across…

  • Ross Harvey
5 min read
As Botswana’s first vice-president and finance minister (1966-80), Ketumile Masire helped rescue Botswana from the category of the third most impoverished nation in the world. File photo
BEUCHANALAND

Tribute to Sir Ketumile Quett Joni Masire, a founder of Botswana, on his centennial birthday

Masire is an unassuming leader who deserves to be remembered as one of the greatest African pioneers of post-colonial history

  • Musonda Trevor Selwyn Mwamba
17 min read
Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi looks at a large diamond discovered in Botswana at his office in Gaborone on August 22, 2024. The 2492 carat diamond was discovered in the Karowe mine in Botswana of Lucara Diamond Company. (Photo by MONIRUL BHUIYAN/AFP via Getty Images)
AFRICA

The panic behind Botswana’s big, sparkly diamond show

Diamonds account for 30% of the country’s economy, but lab-grown gems mean less demand for ones dug out of the soil

  • Keletso Thobega
4 min read
Duncan Wanblad, Anglo American’s chief executive. Photo: Ian Waldie/Getty Images
DIAMOND

Anglo boss says demerging of assets is not in response to BHP bid

The demergers of Anglo Platinum and De Beers could lead to mine workers losing jobs, Duncan Wanblad said This content is restricted to registered users and subscribers. Get Your…

  • Anathi Madubela
1 min read
Australian multinational mining company BHP has confirmed that it made a buyout proposal to Anglo American. (Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
BHP

BHP makes takeover bid for Anglo American

The proposal entails Anglo significantly lowering its exposure to South Africa by demerging its holdings in beleaguered Anglo American Platinum and Kumba Iron Ore This content is…

  • Anathi Madubela
1 min read
Old rustic huts are still scattered over the Karoetjies Kop 150 farm coastal area. They are used by surfers and other travellers to the West Coast. Photo by Ant Fox
DE BEERS

Mining companies eye the last unspoilt strip of the Western Cape’s west coast

SRK Mining wants to prospect for diamonds and Nekwana Trading Enterprise wants to prospect for heavy minerals, kaolin and gemstones

  • John Yeld
6 min read
ANGLO AMERICAN

Anglo American Youth Campaign

Meet the youth who are moving and shaking up Anglo

  • Special Reports
18 min read
ADRIAN GORE

Questioning state and corporate motives should be routine

Captains of industry may appear the benevolent saviours of a state in decline, but we ought to question their intentions

  • Sarah Smit
6 min read
Sparkle: Botswana supplies at least 70% of De Beers’ rough diamonds. Debswana, an equal partnership between the government and the De Beers group, has four mines. Photo: Monirul Bhuiyan/AFP
ANGLO AMERICAN

ANALYSIS: Its a political game for Botswana and De Beers

Ahead of Botswana’s general elections in 2024, President Mokgweetsi Masisi uses De Beers partnership to win votes, say analysts

  • Anathi Madubela
5 min read
Diamond miners are seeing increased demand for their gems but are scared they might not be able to keep up with the demand. Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images
ALROSA

Demand for Southern African diamonds increases as Russian stones banned

Diamond miners are seeing increased demand for their gems but are scared they might not be able to keep up with the demand

  • Anathi Madubela
2 min read
Cattle were the main symbol of wealth among Africans: they had multiple uses, as food, labour or in trade. They were also symbolic, connecting families and villages in cultural rites and maintaining the links between the living and the dead.
APARTHEID

Land, slavery and cattle matter: To move forward, we need to look back

In a three-part series on South Africa’s land question, Tembeka Ngcukaitobi takes a look at the colonial conquests that drove us here

  • Tembeka Ngcukaitobi
11 min read
A birds-eye view of OR Tamb International Airport
ADVERTORIAL SUPPLEMENT

The OR Tambo Special Economic Zone

This development is creating thousands of much-needed jobs

  • Advertorial Supplement
6 min read
Africa’s ecosystems now run on less than two-thirds of their historical energy, with the decline of elephants, lions, and rhinos reshaping landscapes and livelihoods
CONSERVATION

The tusk at hand: SA begins great elephant trek

Two hundred elephants will be transferred from a Limpopo nature reserve to Mozambique in an effort to restore elephant populations there

  • Gemma Ritchie
2 min read
Once Sibanye-Stillwater has cleaned up its own side of the street, Neal Froneman may be in a better position to advocate for better behaviour by others
ARTISANAL

God’s tears add a sparkle to zama-zamas’ lives

It’s a hard life being an illegal artisanal miner near Kimberley but now there are signs they may become recognised

  • Lucas Ledwaba
12 min read
Little glitter: These days
DE BEERS

Diamond dreams turn to dust as miners eye one last scoop

For small-scale diggers in the North West, red tape is making it harder to mine the elusive gem

  • Staff Reporter
15 min read
Diamonds on display at the De Beers global sightholder sales in Gaborone. The high prices being placed on the boxes have resulted in sightholders declining them.
DE BEERS

Competition in diamond market chips away at De Beers

Market pressures have driven sightholders to rebel against the high prices being set by Anglo, writes Roman Grynberg.

  • Roman Grynberg
5 min read
Wa Lone (Reuters)
DE BEERS

Diamond surge a ‘flash in the pan’

Industry leaders say that the current demand is not sustainable, and predict that prices will taper off towards the latter half of 2016.

  • Thomas Biesheuvel 1
2 min read
Wa Lone (Reuters)
DE BEERS

‘Flawless’ SA diamond sells for $22m

A jaw-dropping, 100-carat diamond mined by De Beers in South Africa sold for $22.1-million at Sotheby’s auction house in New York.

  • Staff Reporter
1 min read
Uncut diamonds seen through a jeweller’s loupe. Zimbabwe may not hire Global Diamond Tenders in future
ANGLO AMERICAN

De Beers diamond prices rise as Anglo chases targets

The diamond mining company, which saw returns of 10% return on capital, has been tasked by its parent company to deliver 15% by 2016.

  • Thomas Biesheuvel
3 min read
Anglo American Platinum is aiming to sell as many as four mines and two joint ventures by the end of 2015
DE BEERS

De Beers begins construction of new mine in Limpopo

De Beers has begun work on a R20-billion underground mine to extend the life of its open-pit Venetia diamond mine in Limpopo to beyond 2040.

  • Sapa
1 min read