from everyone that you come across. Get
yourself a strong mentor who will help
you navigate the industry. Learn to ignore
incidences that infer to your gender and
focus on the job at hand. Do not only
sharpen your technical skills but also your
people skills, as you will need them as a
leader. It all starts with your own attitude
and your will to succeed — and never
losing your humility in the process.
Can you give us an update on the
current operations and the future of
the mines in the De Beers stable?
De Beers has invested USD2-billion
in the construction of the Venetia
underground mine project. The mine
has been in construction since 2013 and
first production is expected in 2021, with
a further ramp up from 2023 onwards.
Venetia will deliver over 4.5 million
carats per annum over its underground
lifespan, which is estimated at 2046.
When we look across the De Beers
stable, we have just brought the Gahcho
Kue diamond mine on stream in Canada.
As Bruce Cleaver mentioned, this is a
significant landmark for De Beers in
Canada as Gahcho Kue becomes an
important contributor to the Group’s
global production. It is estimated that
it will contribute USD5.2-billion to
the territorial economy until 2028.
In Namibia, we have put another
ship in the sea, the SS Nujoma, a vessel
that is focused on offshore diamond
exploration and sampling. We are
also engaging in capital expenditure
to further expand in Botswana.
What would you regard as
special highlights during your
career?
A special highlight would be the
opportunity I was afforded to become a
general manager of two
major diamond mines at
a young age. What made
the journey extra special
was the coaching and
mentorship I received
along the way from
Mpumi Zikalala, deputy CEO of De Beers.
the wonderful people
we have in De Beers.
Joining our
would also like to see the SADC region
midstream business
driving for more regional integration
was also a major highlight because of the
especially focused on beneficiation.
opportunity to work with our wonderful
internal teams and customers who run
What is the outlook for the
highly efficient businesses that drive
diamond industry and De Beers?
local beneficiation in our country.
In 2016, we saw an increase in global
What will De Beers’ strategy be
consumer demand for diamond jewellery,
going forward? Will exploration
with demand from the US leading the way
and South Africa still form an
— the US consumer market for diamond
important part of its planning?
jewellery exceeded USD40-billion
De Beers has been mining diamonds
in value for the first time ever. As we
in South Africa for the past 129
headed into the key retail selling season
years, and we believe that we have just
last year, sentiment was generally quite
scratched the surface when it comes
positive in the main consumer markets,
to diamond exploration. South Africa
and we anticipate seeing slight growth
is highly prospective, and we have
in global diamond jewellery demand
enough data from our geologists to start
in 2018. However, there are also some
making new diamond discoveries.
macroeconomic risks, so while we are
cautiously optimistic for demand, we
Ideally, where would you like
will need to wait and see how things
to see the South African mining
progress over the next couple of months.
industry, the African mining
Longer term, the prospects for the
industry, and De Beers in five
diamond sector in general, and De Beers
years?
in particular, are positive. The number of
South Africa is one of the most prospective middle-class households around the world
countries in the world. I would like to
is forecast to see a major increase in the
see business working in partnership
next decade, leading to an expectation of
with government and labour to drive
increased demand for diamond jewellery
for a prosperous industry, underpinned
from this larger potential consumption
by legislation that enables investments
base. As we at De Beers continue to
and business growth. This would in turn
make significant investments in both
add value to the communities where we
expansion of our production capacity
operate, as well as contribute positively
and in driving consumer demand,
towards socio-economic development. I
we anticipate a bright future. b
FEBRUARY 2018 MINING MIRROR
[35]
In the stope