LONRHO MINING - DIAMOND - SCHMIDTSDRIFT 
Lonrho Mining has recovered a 61.3 carat fancy yellow diamond at its Schmidtsdrift Mine in South Africa, Rapaport reports.
"This diamond is of extremely high quality and is expected to achieve a very high value,” Charles Mostert, chief executive officer of Lonrho Mining, said of the octahedron shape stone. “We are confident that the recently completed operational review at the Schmidtsdrift mine will continue to have a positive effect and hopefully yield further diamonds of this quality."
Lonrho Mining, formerly known as Nare Diamonds, owns 80 percent of the Schmidtsdrift mine with the Schmidtsdrift Communal Property Association owning the remainder.
The mine has recovered 16,395 carats of diamonds in the two years since operations commenced in April 2006. Production included 328 stones larger than 5 carats, including a rare 235 carat stone, two 66 carat stones and 25 stones between 15 and 50 carats.  Schmidtsdrift comprises six contiguous farms along the western bank of the Vaal River, with a combined area of 320 square kilometers.

THAI – NAMIBIA - DIAMONDS  
A Thai delegation, including government officials and the representatives of the Thai Gem and Jewelry Trades Association (TGJTA), is expected to visit Namibia next month with the aim of exploring the possibility of buying Namibian diamonds directly from that country.
Thailand regards Namibia as a preferred supplier of diamonds and other precious and semi-precious gemstones, and believes it can help to support the country’s ever-growing jewelry-making industry, Israelidiamond.Co.Il reports.

VAALDIAM - SENIOR GEOLOGIST - APPOINTMENT
Ms. Katya Masun has been appointed to the position of Senior Resource Geologist at Vaaldiam Resources Ltd.. Masun has more than 13 years of well-rounded experience in kimberlite diamond exploration, having begun her career with Rio Tinto in Thunder Bay, Ontario. While with Rio Tinto, she worked on major kimberlite diamond exploration projects in Canada, Brazil and India and has authored several technical papers on these activities.
For Vaaldiam Masun will utilize her diamond exploration experience and in particular her knowledge of kimberlite petrology to interpret the geology and direct exploration strategies on the company’s kimberlite projects, as well as to prepare resource calculations and economic studies, Tacy reports.

Rough&Polished