A view of the Saxendrift operation.

(IDEX Online News) – Rockwell Diamonds Inc. posted a 19-percent rise on the year in revenue from diamond sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013.

 

The figure excludes sales from beneficiation activities, the company said.

 

The miner raised $7.2 million from the sale of 5,308 carats at an average price per carat of $1,355.

 

While the volume of goods sold slipped 8 percent from a year earlier, an improved product mix brought about a 30-percent rise on a year earlier in the average price per carat.

 

The miner’s Saxendrift operation in South Africa's Northern Cape Province saw a rise in sales of 12.8 percent to $4.2 million, and a 32-percent rise in volume of diamonds sold to 2,440 carats. However, the average price per carat fell 15 percent to $1,738.

 

Diamond sales from the Tirisano operation totaled just 291 carats with an average price per carat of $676.

 

At the Klipdam operation, there was a 47-percent drop for the quarter to 1,574 carats, but sales surged 14 percent due to a higher average price per carat to $1,217. That was the result of the sale of an exceptional 73.52-carat fancy yellow diamond and a number of stones exceeding 10 carats.

 

The firm reported that large stones were uncovered at all its operations during the fourth quarter, including 41 diamonds larger than 10 carats.

 

Diamonds of 30 carats were sent to Rockwell's beneficiation joint venture with Steinmetz Diamond Group (SDG).