20 Oct 2014

Diamond Trading Company (DTC) is on an educational campaign to teach senior secondary school students about the diamond industry.

Speaking during a campaign at Matshekge Hill School in Bobonong on October 17, external communication manager for DTC, Mrs Tebogo Moribame-Setiko said they were launching a diamond book meant to bridge the diamond knowledge gap, enlighten and instill a greater sense of appreciation of diamond in the society.

Mrs Moribane-Setiko said the knowledge derived would arm the learners with the right knowledge to serve as diamond ambassadors in the society. 

She said Debswana operated in four mines in Botswana namely Orapa, Letlhakane, Damtshaa and Jwaneng, which was the world richest diamond mine. The four mines, she said, had contributed enormously to the economic growth of Botswana, not only in terms of direct foreign exchange and government revenues generated by diamond sales.

Also, she said DTC had sales and marketing functions responsible for local sales of aggregated diamond. Mrs Moribane-Setiko said Botswana sells and markets rough diamond to 21 cutting and polishing companies that had been licensed by government to carry out cutting and polishing activities. 

She explained that diamond is distinguished from all other precious stones no less by its chemical composition, since it has the same mineralogy as graphite and charcoal than by its unique physical characters.

“The extraordinary difference in the appearance of diamond and that of other forms of carbon depends solely on the crystallisation of the material and the physical characters consequent,” she said.

Mrs Moribane-Setiko noted that a diamond is also resistant to most acids and alkalis and is transparent to X-rays and it also emits light when exposed to radiation.

The weight of diamond, she said is measured in carats and the weight of one carat is precisely 200 milligram, or 0, 2 grams. ENDS