ALROSA – PRIVATIZATION – LIST OF STRATEGIC ENTERPRISES
Russia will proceed with privatization of diamond monopoly ALROSA offering 7% of shares both from the federal ownership and Yakutian ownership on principles of parity, Alexei Uvarov, head of the ministry’s property department, told reporters yesterday, Vedomosti reported.
“Now we will work on coordination of our actions in respect of sale of ALROSA’s shares… We planned to dispose 7% of our (federal)  property in ALROSA, and we want Yakutia to put for sale the same 7% share. Consequently, Yakutia will be left with blocking share and Russia will see 43% share owned in ALROSA,” – Uvarov stated on the sidelines of Trojka Dialog conference.
Participation of Yakutia’s share is an essential term in the deal involving privatization. “We won’t like to put on sale our share without the corresponding move by Yakutia,” – Uvarov stressed, noted that republican authorities say that ALROSA is not yet ready for privatization. “Exclusion of ALROSA from the list of strategic enterprises is merely technical matter which will be settled soon,” – Uvarov added.

DIAMONDS AND SEMI-PRECIOUS STONES OF RUSSIA – SHOW
From 3 to 5 April 2012 All-Russia Exhibition Center in Moscow will host Russian Exhibition “Diamonds and Semi-Precious Stones of Russia” which will take place alongside with exhibition “Subsurface Resources-2012. Prospecting, Exploration. Mining,” Russian Jewellery Network reported.
The main sections of the exhibition are as follows: ornamental stone material, jewellery settings, fine jewellery studded with precious, semi-precious and ornamental stones, items with natural stones, amber jewellery, silver jewellery and interior items, gemmological equipment, gifts and souvenirs.
Within the scope of the show there will be special exposition “Labyrinth of gifts” and a contest of young jewellery designers to be organized.

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH – ONLINE STORE
Diamond in the Rough, which creates and sells jewelry features rough diamonds, has launched an e-commerce store, making rough diamond jewelry available for purchase anywhere in the United States, Israelidiamond.co.il reported.
According to a press release, the new website aims to educate consumers on the beauty of diamonds in their natural form, and showcase Diamond in the Rough's one of a kind engagement rings, wedding bands, and fine jewelry.
Leading the rebranding effort is newly designated CEO of Diamond in the Rough, Monica Chambers. "Our product is extraordinary, it has a point of view, and it finally gives a woman something radically new in the world of diamonds," said Chambers.
Chambers adds, "My background is in media and I absolutely believe that the future of marketing lies in the intersection of content and commerce. We aim to entertain and inform, never to interrupt. While this approach isn't foreign to e-commerce, luxury brands, particularly fine jewelry brands, have been slow to jump on board."

YAKUTIA – ILLEGAL DIAMOND EXTRACTION – CRIMINAL TRIAL
Mirny District Court of Yakutia sentenced an employee of Western-Yakutian geophysical expedition to conditional terms for illegal extraction and storage of diamonds valued at over 1.7 million rubles, FederalPress were reported at press office of public prosecution of the republic on 2 February.
“In August 2008 a member of expedition Anatoly Kozak discovered a diamond on the territory of tailing pit of Mirny mining and processing complex owned by OJSC ALROSA,” – the statement said. “During the period from August 2008 to September, 2011 he repeatedly came back to the place of discovery and mined diamonds, and then transferred recovered stones to store at his garage. On 16 September 2011 officials of Department of Federal Security Service of Russia in Republic Sakha (Yakutia) found 38 diamonds valued at 1,760,616 rubles at Kozak's place.”
The court pled Anatoly Kozak guilty in illegal storage and transportation of large quantities of natural gemstones (paragraph 1 article 191 of Criminal Code of Russia) and imposed penalty of 2 years of imprisonment (conditional) with 1 year trial period and fine in the amount of 20,000 rubles.

GOLDEN STAR – GHANA – GOLD PRODUCTION
Golden Star Resources said it will restart its oxide plant at the Bogoso/Prestea gold mine in Ghana, and the miner expects the output from the mill to push up its 2012 production, Reuters reported.
The plant, which stopped operating in 2008 due to lack of oxide ore, is expected to generate up to 70,000 ounces of gold this year, Golden Star said in a statement.
Last September, the company said it has resumed mining at its Pampe gold deposit in Ghana.
The company now expects 2012 output between 350,000 and 370,000 ounces of gold, up from 301,000 ounces last year. For the first quarter, it expects to produce 79,000 ounces of gold.
The full impact of the mill will not be reflected in production till the second quarter, Golden Star said.
Shares of the company, which have lost nearly half their value in the last one year, closed at C$2.19 on Tuesday on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

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