Tender Houses Line Up to Launch Angola Sales

RAPAPORT... Angola state diamond trader Sodiam has received interest from a number of major tender houses and other providers wishing to establish service centers in the country's new diamond exchange.The Angolan Diamond Bourse (ADB), due to be operational by the end of 2021, will consider offers from tender houses Bonas Couzyn, based in Antwerp; South Africa-based First Element; UK-headquartered I Hennig & Co.; Dubai-based Koin International; and Trans Atlantic Gem Sales, also in Dubai."One of the main objectives of the [ADB] is to put [our] enormous flow of diamonds under one roof," Angola Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas Diamantino Azevedo said last week. "It is also understood that a percentage of these diamonds could be sold through a professional and public tender. Sodiam is looking forward to examining service providers to maximize the output of our diamond production and reach the best possible results."Sodiam has also received interest from two diamond-boiling providers, Elmyr Services and Charlotte Quality Boiling. It will review their proposals and pick one to reside in the exchange, it noted.The bourse, which will be located on two floors of the De Beers building in Luanda, will be built in two phases, Peter Meeus, a consultant to the Angola diamond industry, told Rapaport News Sunday. That area will also contain the boiling operations, tender houses and a gemological academy, he added.Angola produced 9.1 million carats in 2019 from 14 active mining sites, it said. The government expects annual production to rise to 13.8 million carats by 2022.Image: A rough diamond. (Angola Ministry of Mineral Resources and Petroleum/Facebook)