BRUSSELS: After the Antwerp diamond industry made it a priority in recent years to conquer the Asian market, in 2015 it will target its offensive on Latin America. Brazil, in particular, has many opportunities with regards to diamond production.
Brazil currently ranks 17th among diamond producing countries but it is loaded with potential. Geologists have mapped the Brazilian landscape in recent years, discovering some 50 potential diamond mines.
There are two reasons why these mines have not been exploited,” said Ari Epstein, the CEO of the AWDC. “On the one hand, the Brazilians do not know how they have to set up commercial exploitation of mines; on the other hand, they do not know how they have to implement the strict regulations and controls that apply to the diamond industry around the world.”
In the context of Crem’s trade mission, the AWDC is organizing a seminar about the Kimberley Process regulations, which are the guarantee that diamonds are traded legally. Epstein said, “Antwerp is one of the leaders as concerns application of the strict Kimberley Process regulations and with the more than 550 years of experience as a trade center that we have to offer, Brazil is welcoming us with open arms.”
The annual figures from 2014, showing commercial turnover of $58.8 billion, demonstrated once again that Antwerp remains the most important trading center for diamonds. The fact that new mines opt for Antwerp when it comes to trading their diamonds can only reinforce this position.
