De Beers today said the provisional value of rough diamond sales (Global Sightholder Sales and Auction Sales) for the second sales cycle of 2016 was $610 million.
The first sale of goods this year was of goods worth $545 million, meaning the miner has sold $1.155 billion of goods in the first two months of this year.
Rough diamond demand continues to show signs of improvement as excess inventory has continued to work through the system in recent months, the mining giant said in a statement.
Philippe Mellier, Chief Executive, De Beers Group, said: “Retailer restocking after the end of year holiday season is supporting demand for polished diamonds and, in turn, we are seeing improved demand from the midstream for rough diamonds. However, we remain mindful of the need for a cautious approach as the recovery continues.”
