Diamond – AllAfrica reported that diamond cutters and polishers in Zimbabwe are closing down because the country's government is not adhering to a policy that states they should receive a quota of locally produced diamonds.
Palladium – Palladium is doing better than analysts predicted at the start of 2013.
Diamond – AllAfrica reported that Zimbabwe companies that have been certified as compliant with the Kimberley Process are selling their rough Marange diamonds for 25 percent less than the normal price due to allegations that they have been involved in undemocratic activities, as per information from a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy.
Diamond – The Guardian reported that under the Kimberley Process, conflict diamonds are defined as diamonds "sold by a rebel group to wage war against a government." However, Human Rights Watch believes there is a "major loophole" in that description as it means that governments are not stopped from "committing abuses" when mining and selling diamonds. The publication fears that this week's Kimberley Process meeting will fail to account for that fact.
Platinum – Platinum Today reported that Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd. (OTC Pink:IMPUY) subsidiary Zimplats Holdings Ltd. (ASX:ZIM) would have preferred being listed on Zimbabwe's stock market to the indigenization process currently taking place.
Diamond – Nehandra Radio reported that despite the existence of the Kimberly Process, Zimbabwe's Inclusive Government, which is expected to be dissolved within the next month, has had little success in devising a strategy to manage the country's controversial Marange diamond fields. The Zimbabwe-based publication states that only a government with citizens' interests at heart will be able to make positive changes to the situation.
Nickel – Mining Weekly reported that Bindura Nickel Corporation has made its first shipment to Durban from the newly restarted Trojan nickel mine in Zimbabwe after being idle for 4 years.
Platinum – Rule explains why investing in PGMs may be better than silver or gold in the near term.
Diamond – Mining Weekly reported that Botswana Diamonds has signed an agreement with Morminas, a Mozambican company, to assess two licence blocks for potential deposits that may have been washed down from Zimbabwe’s Marange diamond fields.
Platinum – Bloomberg reported that Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe said that his country should not pay Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd. for the stake in Zimplats because all resources belong to Zimbabwe.
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