Diamonds (100% basis) |
Q1 2016 |
Q1 2015 |
Q1 2016
vs.
Q1 2015 |
Q4 2015 |
Q1 2016
vs.
Q4 2015 |
Diamonds
|
000 carats
|
6,866
|
7,665
|
(10)%
|
7,052
|
(3)%
|
Diamond production decreased by 10 per cent to 6.9 million carats, reflecting the decision to reduce production in response to trading conditions in 2015.
At Debswana (Botswana), production decreased by five per cent to 5.3 million carats as a result of the strategy to align production to trading conditions. There was lower production at Orapa, partially offset by an increase in production at Jwaneng. Damtshaa (a satellite operation of Orapa) was placed on care and maintenance from 1 January 2016.
Production at DBCM (South Africa) decreased by 12 per cent to 0.9 million carats mainly due to the completion of the sale of Kimberley mines to Ekapa Minerals, as announced on 21 January 2016.
Production at Namdeb Holdings (Namibia) decreased by four per cent to 0.4 million carats due to reduced grade at Namdeb.
Production in Canada decreased by 68 per cent to 0.2 million carats due to Snap Lake being placed on care and maintenance in December 2015.
Consolidated rough diamond sales of 7.6 million carats in Sights 1 and 2 of 2016 reflected an improvement in trading conditions relative to H2 2015. Sales volumes were 10 per cent lower than in Q1 2015, however this was due to the number of Sights in the respective periods: 2 Sights in Q1 2016 vs. 3 Sights in Q1 2015.
Full Year Guidance
Full year production guidance (on a 100 per cent basis) remains unchanged at 26 – 28 million carats, subject to trading conditions.