[AFNS] WINDHOEK, SOUTH AFRICA – Namdeb security personnel found seven rough diamonds with a total weight of 5.9 carats stuck to the bottom of a seat on a bus used to transport the mining company’s employees. The largest of the stones weighs 2.05 carats, said Namdeb spokesman Hilifa Mbako.

Mbako said no one had yet been arrested in the incident, which came a few days after 19 employees were arrested for stealing rough diamonds from the company.

Namdeb, the 50-50 joint venture between the Namibian government and De Beers, is responsible for most of Namibia’s diamond mining.

A service of the Antwerp Facets News Service (AFNS). Article may be reproduced provided that credit is given to AFNS.

Additional information

Namdeb Diamond Corporation (Pty) Limited is owned in equal shares by the Government of the Republic of Namibia and De Beers Centenary AG. Namdeb's predecessor, Consolidated Diamond Mines (CDM), was a wholly owned subsidiary of De Beers until 1994.

In the years since joint ownership took effect, Namdeb has continued to recover diamonds and generate employment for Namibian citizens. The revenue generated has played a central role in building the social and physical infrastructure of an independent Namibia.

For information about De Beers, visit the group's website at www.debeersgroup.com.

The official website of the Namibia government is at www.grnnet.gov.na.

From diamond mining licence...

Namdeb currently holds six mining licences from which diamonds are recovered. The Mining Area No.1, Bogenfels and Elizabeth Bay Mining Licences extend from the Orange River in the south to Lüderitz in the north, and approximately 5.5 kilometres off shore in the Atlantic Ocean to approximately 20 to 35 kilometres inland. Douglas Bay Mining Licence extends from Lüderitz north to latitude 26 degrees south and from the high water mark of the Atlantic Ocean to about 15 kilometres inland. The Orange River Mining Licence extends along the Orange River for about 50 kilometres inland from the Mining Area No.1 boundary. Atlantic 1 Mining Licence occupies a portion of the middle shelf of the South Atlantic Ocean, from the boundary of Mining Area No.1 to about 65 kilometres from the shore.

To diamond recovery...

The bulk of Namdeb's production comes from the Mining Area No.1 and Atlantic 1 licences. In the latter area, De Beers Marine Namibia (DBMN) explores and recovers diamonds from beneath the sea off the Namibian coast. In De Beers Marine Namibia, Namdeb has access to the technology and expertise of the world's foremost marine diamond mining company with an international reputation for excellence. Auchas Mine on the north bank of the Orange River started operations in 1990 and Elizabeth Bay Mine, some 24 km south of Lüderitz, followed in 1991. Beach and marine contractors mine the northern portion of the company's licence areas and the coastal waters to 5 km from shore.

To diamond marketing...

All Namdeb diamonds mined at Namdeb's operation are sold to the DTC for resale on the international diamond market. As the sorting and valuing Sales and Marketing arm of the De Beers Group of companies, the DTC has over 70 years of experience and offers Namdeb an unrivalled service.

At Okahandja, NamGem (a wholly owned subsidiary of Namdeb) has been cutting and polishing top quality gems supplied to it by the DTC since 1999, employing over 120 people and transferring specialist cutting skills to Namibian citizens. NamGem's strategic partnership with Lazare Kaplan International (LKI) has added momentum to the company's drive towards profitability and global competitiveness.