Diamond aggregation shift falls down priority list

Aggregation involves mixing of diamonds according to value. The movement to Gaborone should have been complete by the end of the year but there has been a delay because of the world economic downturn. Rough diamond prices started plummeting in the last quarter of 2008 forcing De Beers to delay the move.  With the recent improvement in trading conditions, De Beers and the government announced recently that they will refocus on finalising the details necessary to allow aggregation to commence in Botswana as soon as possible in 2010.

However, on Tuesday, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Gabaake Gabaake and Diamond Trading Company (DTC) International managing director Varda Shine said though moving aggregation operations is still in the pipeline, it is not one of the key activities they will concentrate on.