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RAPAPORT... De Beers Group diamond production improved 2 percent year on year to 7.7 million carats during the first quarter that ended on March 31. Despite the slight increase in the first three months of the year, Anglo American lowered De Beers full year production guidance to between 30 million and 32 million carats from an earlier projection of between 32 million and 34 million carats in light of weaker trading conditions.
De Beers production in South Africa during the period rose 14 percent year on year to 1.1 million carats, due primarily to higher grades at its Venetia diamond mine. The improvement also followed the commissioning of the Red Area Tailings Treatment plant, which processes higher average grade, lower-value material than run-of-mine ore from the pit.
Production fell 2 percent at Debswana to 5.6 million carats due to a decline in grade at Orapa, but this was offset by an increase in throughput at Jwaneng and Orapa.
In Namibia, Namdeb's production increased 7 percent to 462,000 carats as De Beers implemented improvements at its Debmarine Namibia operation.
De Beers Canada drove production up 25 percent to 510,000 carats due to stronger productivity at both the Snap Lake and Victor diamond mines.
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