South Africa labour disputes drag Petra Diamonds shares down

Shares in diamond exploration and development company DiamondCorp PLC (LON:DCP) went up over 24% in early trade Friday after the group struck a financing deal that will meet more than three-quarters of the costs of its Lace mine project in South Africa.

The Archduke Joseph Diamond, a 76-carat gem considered one of the most renowned worldwide, may be sold for more than $15 million in Geneva on Nov. 13, the world's largest auction house Christie’s said on Friday.

A controversial project to mine Brazil's vast indigenous territories in the Amazon, to be presented at the South American country’s Congress in October, has revived a long-dragged confrontation among authorities, environmentalists and local communities.

Mining giant Rio Tinto has decided to target the Indian marriage gifting market with its “Nazrana” brand of gem-based jewellery in an effort to boost its depressed division.

Greenland could become the next global mining frontier, as global warming uncovers precious metals from glacial surroundings, states new research by natural resources experts GlobalData, a UK-based global business intelligence provider.

Russia claims it has uncovered a diamond field of record dimensions in eastern Siberia which is the product of a prehistoric asteroid collision.

Raw material mark up can range between 300% to 1,000%

Liberia's questioned commitment to the diamond industry’s efforts to prevent blood gems trade has driven the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to threaten with cutting the program, but authorities says it insufficient funds and not lack of will what is stopping the country.

Russia’s state-owned diamond company Alrosa said its board approved the sale of 51% of its Timir iron-ore unit in Siberia to Evraz Plc (EVR), the steelmaker part-owned by mining billionaire Roman Abramovich.