Debswana Pauses Production at Two Mines
June 08, 25
(IDEX Online) - Debswana is reportedly making further cuts to production, in response to ongoing weak demand for natural diamonds.
The 50/50 joint venture between De Beers and the Botswana government is to halt production at its Jwaneng Cut 9 and Orapa mines for three months.
In April the company said it had put the Letlhakane Tailings Plant (LTP) and the Jwaneng Modular Plant (JMP) on care and maintenance for the same reason.
Operations at its Damtshaa mine, suspended in 2021 because of the COVID crisis, have not resumed.
Debswana has already revised down its 2025 production target from 18m carats to 15m carats and is reportedly planning to lay off over 1,000 workers.
The company, which reported a 46 per cent drop in sales for 2024, said in a statement that it was "prudently navigating challenging market conditions, including sustained low demand across the diamond pipeline and additional pressures from US tariffs impact."
Diamonds account for approximately around 80 per cent of Botswana's exports and about a third of its fiscal revenues.
Pic shows Orapa mine.