De Beers, the largest producer of rough diamonds by value, will run its mines at nearly full capacity in 2018 because the company expects improved demand for diamond jewellery. De Beers has commissioned the construction of a new mining ship to complement its recently commissioned exploration ship operating off the Namibian coast. The mining ship will pay for itself within three years, said Cleaver, adding De Beers was paying $200m towards its construction. After an impasse of several years, De Beers Consolidated Mines, the local division of De Beers, was granted 16 exploration licences in Kimberley. "It follows that if the regulatory regime becomes clearer and more favourable it’s a place we’d want to look very hard at."

Source: The Local February 23, 2018 01:18 UTC