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Production report for the first quarter ended 31 March 2015
Diamond production increased by 2% to 7.7 million carats, driven primarily by higher grades at Venetia. Full year production guidance for diamonds has been reduced from 32 to 34 million carats to 30 to 32 million carats, in light of current trading conditions.
| Diamonds (100% basis) |
Q1 2015 |
Q1 2014 |
Q1 2015 vs. Q1 2014 |
Q4 2014 | Q1 2015 vs. Q4 2014 |
| Diamonds 000 carats | 7,665 | 7,531 | 2% | 8,366 | (8)% |
Diamond production increased by 2% to 7.7 million carats driven primarily by higher grades at Venetia in South Africa.
Production at DBCM (South Africa) increased by 14% to 1.1 million carats. This was as a result of higher overall grade at Venetia, due to the commissioning of the Red Area Tailings Treatment (RATT) plant in mid-2014. The RATT processes higher average grade, lower value material than run-of-mine ore from the pit.
Debswana’s production decreased by 2% to 5.6 million carats due to a decline in grade at Orapa, which was largely offset by an increase in throughput at both Jwaneng and Orapa.
Production from the Canadian mines increased by 25% due to productivity improvement initiatives at both Snap Lake and Victor.
Diamond production decreased by 8% compared to Q4 2014 due to the planned change in mining area at Venetia, along with a focus on waste mining at Jwaneng.
Full year production guidance has been reduced from 32 to 34 million carats to 30 to 32 million carats, in light of current trading conditions.
Diamond Production Detail
|
Q1 2015 |
Q4 2014 |
Q3 2014 |
Q2 2014 |
Q1 2014 |
Q12015 |
Q1 2015 |
|
|
Carats recovered |
|||||||
|
100% Basis |
|||||||
|
Orapa |
2,610,000 |
2,732,000 |
2,651,000 |
3,487,000 |
3,204,000 |
(4)% |
(19)% |
|
Letlhakane |
188,000 |
83,000 |
157,000 |
177,000 |
131,000 |
127% |
44% |
|
Damtshaa |
57,000 |
94,000 |
83,000 |
70,000 |
56,000 |
(39)% |
2% |
|
Jwaneng |
2,777,000 |
3,080,000 |
3,333,000 |
2,532,000 |
2,367,000 |
(10)% |
17% |
|
Debswana |
5,632,000 |
5,989,000 |
6,224,000 |
6,266,000 |
5,758,000 |
(6)% |
(2)% |
|
Namdeb |
96,000 |
121,000 |
156,000 |
199,000 |
137,000 |
(21)% |
(30)% |
|
Debmarine Namibia |
366,000 |
375,000 |
293,000 |
310,000 |
295,000 |
(2)% |
24% |
|
Namdeb Holdings |
462,000 |
496,000 |
449,000 |
509,000 |
432,000 |
(7)% |
7% |
|
Kimberley |
221,000 |
202,000 |
207,000 |
154,000 |
159,000 |
9% |
39% |
|
Venetia |
624,000 |
1,060,000 |
776,000 |
834,000 |
531,000 |
(41)% |
18% |
|
Voorspoed |
216,000 |
140,000 |
143,000 |
186,000 |
242,000 |
54% |
(11)% |
|
DBCM |
1,061,000 |
1,402,000 |
1,126,000 |
1,174,000 |
932,000 |
(24)% |
14% |
|
Snap Lake |
328,000 |
301,000 |
253,000 |
379,000 |
268,000 |
9% |
22% |
|
Victor |
182,000 |
178,000 |
141,000 |
187,000 |
141,000 |
2% |
29% |
|
De Beers Canada |
510,000 |
479,000 |
394,000 |
566,000 |
409,000 |
6% |
25% |
|
Total carats recovered |
7,665,000 |
8,366,000 |
8,193,000 |
8,515,000 |
7,531,000 |
(8)% |
2% |