De Beers says agreement reached on aerial surveys

De Beers chairperson Nicky Oppenheimer said that the company and the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME) were constantly engaging to resolve issues that hampered exploration in South Africa, and confirmed that an agreement had been reached to enable aerial surveys to be undertaken.

"The company understands and appreciates that the aerial reconnaissance stage of exploration does not require extensive and lengthy approval processes," it said on Wednesday.