The DRC produced 4,581,679.13 carats of diamonds in the first half of 2022, a decrease in quantity of 22.32% compared to 2021
Diamond production in the 1st half of 2022 is almost the same in the Democratic Republic of Congo, unlike previous years predominated by artisanal production, at the rate of 51.86% for artisanal mining and 48.05% for industrial mining . This is indicated by the statistical data, published by the Technical Unit for Coordination and Mining Planning (CTCPM), an advisory, study and coordination body for mining activities in the DRC.
CTCPM data reveal that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) produced 4,581,679.13 carats of diamonds including:
– 2,376,116.52 carats of artisanal mining, or 51.86%;
– 2,201,454.16 industrially mined carats, or 48.05%;
– 4,108.45 carats from semi-industrial mining, or 0.09%.
Industrial production is provided by the Anhui Congo Mining Investment Company (SACIM) with 2,152,668.73 carats, or 97.78%, and the Bakwanga Mining Company (MIBA) with 48,785.43 carats, or 2.22%.
Artisanal production comes mainly from the following provinces:
– Kwango: 1,275.98 carats, i.e. 0.05%;
– Nord-Ubangi: 101.94 carats, or 0.004%;
– Tshopo: 37.87 carats, or 0.002%;
– Kasaï-Oriental: 2,368,917.26 carats, i.e. 99.70%,
– Sankuru: 3,977.45 carats, i.e. 0.17%;
-Kasai: 1,709.06 carats, or 0.072%;
– Kasai-Central: 1.24 Carats, or 0.00%;
– Low-UELE: 66.94 carats, or 0.003%;
– Kongo Central: 0.00 carats, i.e. 0.00%;
– Tshuapa: 16.20 carats, or 0.001%;
– North Kivu: 12.58 Carats, or 0.001%.
Total production for the first half of 2022 is 4,581,679.13 carats. Compared to that of the 1st half of 2021 which was 5,898,112.76 carats, there is a drop of 1,316,433.63 carats, or 22.32% in quantity.
As for exports in the 1st half of 2022, the DRC achieved 6,225,222.84 carats for a value of USD 82,650,108.52 distributed as follows:
– artisanal mining: 3,525,198.16 carats for a value of USD 41,942,385.36;
– industrial exploitation: 2,700,024.68 carats for a value of USD 40,707,723.16
Compared to the statistics for the 1st half of 2021 where diamond exports amounted to 6,371,729.27 carats for a value of 65,477,876.84 USD, there is a drop of 146,506.43 carats, or 2.30%. . On the other hand, there is an increase in value of USD 17,172,231.68, or 26.23%.
Industrial diamond production in carats by company in the first half of 2022
Industrial production is dominated by SACIM with 98% compared to that of MIBA which amounts to 2%.
Summary of total diamond exports by country of destination and by categorization in the 1st half of 2022
Exports by country of destination are dominated by Belgium with 52% followed by the UAE with 44%.
Regarding the comparative evolution of diamond exports from 2018-2022, we note that during the first half of recent years, exports are dominated by the year 2018 with 7,577,603.57 carats.
