Diamonds1

Q4 2017 Q4 2016 Q4 2017 vs. Q4 2016 Q3 2017 Q4 2017 vs. Q3 2017 2017 2016 2017 vs. 2016

Debswana (Botswana)

000 carats

5,504

5,440

1%

6,056

(9)%

22,684

20,501

11%

Namdeb Holdings
(Namibia)

000 carats

488

428

14%

454

7%

1,805

1,573

15%

DBCM
(South Africa)

000 carats

1,149

1,387

(17)%

1,548

(26)%

5,208

4,234

23%

Canada

000 carats

993

497

100%

1,120

(11)%

3,757

1,031

264%

Total carats recovered

000 carats

8,134

7,752

5%

9,178

(11)%

33,454

27,339

22%

Rough diamond production increased by five per cent to 8.1 million carats reflecting stronger trading conditions as well as the contribution from the ramp-up of Gahcho Kué in Canada.

Debswana (Botswana) production increased marginally to 5.5 million carats. Orapa's production increased by 14 per cent mainly driven by planned increases in plant performance, and the ramp-up of Plant 1, which was previously on partial care and maintenance in response to trading conditions in late 2015. This was partially offset by Jwaneng where production decreased by 15 per cent due to expected lower grades.

Namdeb Holdings (Namibia) production increased by 14 per cent to 0.5 million carats, mainly due to higher grades at Namdeb's land operations.

DBCM (South Africa) production decreased by 17 per cent to 1.1 million carats largely as a result of planned sequencing of ore sources at Venetia, where the increase in tonnes treated was more than offset by a reduction in grade.

Canada production doubled to 1.0 million carats due to the ramp-up of Gahcho Kué, which reached nameplate capacity in Q2 2017.

Consolidated rough diamond sales volumes2 in Q4 2017 were 7.5 million carats (Q4 2016: 7.5 million carats). Total sales volumes (100 per cent),2 which are comparable to production, were 8.2 million carats in Q4 2017 (Q4 2016: 8.0 million carats).

For the full year, consolidated sales volumes2 were 33.1 million carats (2016: 30.0 million carats). Total sales volumes (100 per cent),2 which are comparable to production, were 35.1 million carats (2016: 32.0 million carats).

The full year consolidated average realised price3 of US$162/ct was 13 per cent lower than in 2016. This reflected strong demand in Sight 1 2017 for lower value goods held in stock at 31 December 2016, following a recovery from the initial impact of India's demonetisation programme in late 2016, as well as the ramp-up of production from lower value per carat but high margin operations, including Orapa and Gahcho Kué. The lower value mix was partially offset by a higher average rough price index, up three per cent compared with 2016.

1De Beers production is on a 100 per cent basis, except for the Gahcho Kué joint venture which is on an attributable 51 per cent basis.
2Consolidated sales volumes exclude De Beers' JV partners' 50 per cent proportionate share of sales to entities outside De Beers from the Diamond Trading Company Botswana and the Namibia Diamond Trading Company, which are included in total sales volume (100 per cent basis). Both measures include pre-commercial production sales volumes from Gahcho Kué. Full year consolidated sales volumes excluding pre-commercial production sales volumes from Gahcho Kué were 32.5 million carats (2016: 30.0 million carats).
3Consolidated average realised price based on 100 per cent selling value post-aggregation and excludes pre-commercial production sales from Gahcho Kué.

De Beers SA published this content on 25 January 2018 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 25 January 2018 07:19:09 UTC.

Original documenthttp://www.debeersgroup.com/en/news/company-news/company-news/production-report-for-the-fourth-quarter-of-2017-.html

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