JSC NIZHNE-LENSKOYE – DIAMOND EXPORTS – LICENSE
Diamond mining enterprise JSC Nizhne-Lenskoye obtained blanket license for rough diamond exports from the Russian Ministry of industry and commerce since 1 March, 2010. JSC Nizhne-Lenskoye has been involved in diamond exports since 2006, diamond centers of Belgium, Israel, UAE being their permanent clients.
The enterprise intends to sell rough diamonds worth $40M abroad in 2010, Ysia reported citing press office of JSC Nizhne-Lenskoye.

BHP BILLITON – MAPPING DEVICE – SARIN
BHP Billiton Diamonds will provide its spot market bidders with mapping images of large rough diamonds to help them in their decision-making process during the tender. The diamond miner will use the services of Sarin's Galaxy 1000 automated mapping device to generate the images, IDEX Online reported.
The spot market is one of a number of periodic tenders BHP Billiton Diamonds uses to sell rough diamonds in the open market.
BHP Billiton Diamonds will use its services in Antwerp, Belgium, where the tenders are held. The larger goods will be accompanied by imagery data videos and inclusion maps generated by the Galaxy 1000. Sarin, who announced the agreement on Tuesday, did not specify what size goods will be offered with the extra data.
According to Sarin CEO Uzi Levami, the use of the technology in the rough purchasing process will offer diamond manufacturers a comprehensive picture to more accurately evaluate the goods "in an objective and educated manner."

JEWELLERY PRICES – INCREASE
Prices for jewellery are likely to increase by 30% in Kazakhstan, Business Resource reported citing the statement of Favori jewellery boutique.
“Jewellery prices depend on the gold market price which has grown by 30% and now stands at $1,050 per ounce. As for the imported gold – due to leverage of import duties prices of finished goods will increase,” – Favori representative said.
According to the Chairman of Customs brokers association of Kazakhstan Gennady Shestakov, import duty for jewellery coming from third parties was leveraged from 5% to 20% due to Customs union emerging.

SOUTH AFRICA – MINING SECTOR – NATIONALISATION
The President of South Africa Jacob Zuma certified that nationalisation of the country’s mining sector was not the issue for his party, RBC reported. Youth league of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) used to insist on nationalisation of mines in SA.
BBC reported that investors expressed concerns over potential nationalisation of assets in SA being the leading producer of platinum and third largest producer of gold.
Speaking during his first visit to Britain Zuma said that the issue of nationalisation could be hereinafter discussed with the politicians.

POLYUS GOLD – MERGER
Russia’s largest gold miner Polyus Gold is considering opportunities for merger with one of international gold mining companies, RBK Daily reported. According to a statement by the major shareholder of Polyus – Mikhail Prokhorov, merger could be one of the options which enable Polyus to buy competitors or potential partners not for cash but rather in exchange for shares, retaining control over Russian share of business.
“We have a number of challenges which can be realised. If I tell you the name of the buyer – the share price will rise significantly,” Prokhorov was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Rough&Polished