De Beers is the world's leading diamond company. De Beers generates about 35% (by value) of global rough diamond production from its operations in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Canada, has widespread exploration activities and unrivalled diamond distribution, sales and marketing operations.
De Beers is prospecting for diamonds close to its Snap Lake mineWith its joint venture partners, De Beers operates in more than 20 countries across six continents. De Beers is the world’s largest diamond producer with mining operations across Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Canada.
De Beers holds a 50% interest in Debswana Diamond Company and in Namdeb Diamond Corporation, owned jointly with the Government of the Republic of Botswana (GRB) and the Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN) respectively, and a 70% shareholding in De Beers Marine Namibia.
In addition, De Beers has a 74% shareholding in South African-based De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited, with the Ponahalo group, a broad-based black economic empowerment consortium, holding the balance.
The Diamond Trading Company
De Beers owns 100% of The Diamond Trading Company (DTC), the sales and rough diamonds distribution arm of De Beers. It also has a 50% interest with the GRB in Diamond Trading Company Botswana and a 50% ownership, along with the GRN’s matching shareholding, in Namibia Diamond Trading Company.
De Beers and Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton
De Beers and Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton have established a high-end retail jewellery joint venture, through De Beers Diamond Jewellers, with stores in the most fashionable areas of some of the world’s great cities, including New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Tokyo and Dubai.
Element Six
Element Six is the global leader in the design, development and production of synthetic diamond supermaterials. Part of the De Beers Group, Element Six is an independently managed global company with its head office registered in Luxembourg, and primary manufacturing facilities in Ireland, China, Germany, Sweden, South Africa and the UK.
Element Six synthetic diamond supermaterials are used in industrial applications such as cutting, grinding, drilling, shearing and polishing, while the extreme properties of synthetic diamond beyond hardness are opening up potential applications in a wide array of industries such as optics, power transmission, water treatment, semi-conductors and sensors.
Strategy
De Beers introduced Five Strategic Levers in 2010 to drive business growth while permanently capturing the efficiencies gained during the global economic crisis.
The company is focused on:
1. Sustainably maximising the price received for its rough diamonds through its distribution system.
2. Finding, operating, optimising and investing in those mines that generate superior risk adjusted returns.
3. Retaining and investing in downstream opportunities that ensure real value creation.
4. Ensuring 2009 cost and capital efficiencies become entrenched.
5. Investing in and protecting De Beers’ reputation and diamond equity.