Indian billionaire Agarwal goes after 12% of Anglo American

A new survey by The Economist Intelligence Unit finds when institutional investors interested in frontier markets were asked to choose two regions out of five, two-thirds see Africa – projected to be the fastest growing region on the planet this year – as holding the greatest opportunity.

Russia's diamond manufacturing industry is slowly but surely emerging from the severe crisis it experienced since 2009, when polished diamond production fell to an unprecedented low of US$350 million.

Canadian Shore Gold (TSX:SGF) shares fell dramatically Thursday after the Saskatoon-based company announced it had failed to secure a deal to fund their Star-Orion South diamond project near Prince Albert.

After five years of declines, primarily attributed to low production, poor prices, and a high Australian dollar, IBISWorld’s “Industries to fly and fall in 2012” report forecasts a “revenue rebound” for Australia’s diamond and gemstone mining industry that will involve five years of growth with industry revenues climbing to $947.3 million by 2016-17.

The future of about 160 workers at BK11 diamond mine in Botswana is in the balance after UK-based owner, Firestone Diamonds (LON:FDI), suspended operations yesterday.

The job of putting up the proposed hybrid wind farm at Diavik Diamond Mine has begun. Trucks are beginning to take the blades for the windmills and its other components along the Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road to the mine.

An emerald cut diamond valued between $900,000 and $1 million is set to be auctioned in Vancouver on Sunday at the Sutton Place Hotel.

On much heavier volumes than usual Grizzly Discoveries shed 3c or 6.52% by midday Tuesday. Before the market open the Edmonton-based company announced a potash discovery near Medicine Hat in Alberta Canada that wasn't as exciting as investors had clearly hoped – drilling yielded potash grades up to 31.1% K2O, but only over 0.3 metres.

The Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines says the government's hike of pre-exploration fees for the majority of minerals – by as much as 8,000% – together with increased royalty rates will cripple the industry.