the monitor

Debswana announces additional market response measures

Jwaneng mine. PIC MORERI SEJAKGOMO
Jwaneng mine. PIC MORERI SEJAKGOMO

Debswana Diamond Company continues to navigate a challenging global market environment, characterised by sustained low demand across the diamond value chain and emerging external pressures, including recently imposed tariffs by the United States.

In response, the company is implementing a series of targeted interventions to safeguard long-term business sustainability and enhance operational resilience. To align operational costs with the prevailing revenue outlook, Debswana will implement cost-saving initiatives and calibrated production adjustments. As part of this plan, production volumes will be reduced to 15 million carats in 2025. This includes a three-month suspension of production at Jwaneng Mine (Cut 9) from May to July 2025. Additionally, there will be a combined temporary pause at the Orapa Mine Pit and Orapa No.2 Plant in May, June, and October 2025. Notably, the May and June pause at the Orapa No.2 Plant will align with its scheduled annual maintenance shutdown, extending into a strategically timed production halt.

These measures are expected to generate substantial savings in fuel, electricity, and other production-related consumables. Further financial efficiencies will be realised through the deferral of select capital projects. However, critical investments, such as the Jwaneng Underground Project, will proceed as planned. Debswana has historically been resourced to support production capacity exceeding 25 million carats annually, whilst sales volumes have steadily declined over the past decade. This has resulted in excess capacity. To address the imbalance, the organisational structure has been reviewed to establish a more agile and responsive operating model that better aligns with cyclical market conditions.

Editor's Comment
Depression is real; let's take care of our mental health

It is not uncommon in this part of the world for parents to actually punish their children when they show signs of depression associating it with issues of indiscipline, and as a result, the poor child will be lashed or given some kind of punishment. We have had many suicide cases in the country and sadly some of the cases included children and young adults. We need to start looking into issues of mental health with the seriousness it...

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