Indian Jewelry » Congo Diamonds

Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo, (former Zaire) is the second largest diamond producer in the world by volume but it mainly produces industrial diamonds.
Democratic Republic of Congo is located in Central Africa. It is bordered by the Central African Republic, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola and the Atlantic Ocean. For an area of 2,345,409 sq. kms., it has a population of over 25 million. Kiswahili, Tshilube, Lingala and Kikongo are the country's languages and Zaire the Unit of Currency.

Major Source of Industrials:
Although D.R. Congo produces both gem quality and industrial diamonds, it is mainly for the latter that the country is noted. Its large production of industrial diamonds had dwarfed that of all other producers; however, Australia overtook it as the world's biggest producer of industrials in volume terms.

D. R. Congo-is an important primary source for the rapidly developing industrial diamond tools industry which is currently consuming more than 160 million carats of industrial diamonds annually, including both natural/synthetic grits and powders and tool stones (around 80 per cent synthetic).

Since D.R. Congo has no processing or jewellery industry of its own, the gem diamond stock obtained from the mines is exported entirely. After two years of self – trading the government resumed its marketing relations with De Beers, which now buys both industrial and gem diamonds from the state owned Miba mine.

Gem Diamond 30 percent:
Diamond production of D.R. Congo is approxiamately 70 per cent industrial quality ( boart)
This country had been the world’s largest producer of diamonds in quantity till 1986, when it was surpassed by Australian diamond production. Production from the Miba Kimberlite mine is about 8-10 million carats per year, and alluvial production, mostly by thousands of diggers, is probably 9-15 million carat per year including 4-6 million carat of illicit production. Recent increase in official production may indicate that the share of illicit diamonds has declined.
Alluvial diamond deposits are spread over 150,000 square kilometres and reserves are large. Understandably this area attracts illegal miners.

Thirteen mines are exporting through the state owned Commercial Gecamines. MIBA (Miniere du Bakwanga, the state diamond company of D.R. Congo in which Sibeka has a 20 per cent share) has a contract for the sale of its entire production to the DTC via its daughter company Britmond. The long term contract is for indefinite time.