Belgian royals explore Canadian diamond mining process

by carly_midgley | March 20, 2018 8:04 am

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A recent visit to Canada from Belgium’s King Filip and Queen Mathilde highlighted the value of the diamond trading relationship between the two countries, according to Antwerp World Diamond Centre[2] (AWDC). The couple was hosted at Ottawa’s Canadian Museum of Nature[3] in a private event on March 13.

The visitors were guided through the various phases of the Canadian mining process, covering all facets from exploration, mining, and sorting to effect on the surrounding community. The interactive exhibit focused primarily on the Northwest Territories, as that area includes three major diamond mines (Ekati, Diavik[4], and Gahcho Kué[5]) and accounts for 90 per cent of Canadian diamond production.

The world’s third-largest diamond-producing nation in terms of value, Canada accounted for approximately 10 per cent of the world’s total diamond output last year. Of the country’s total production, 60 per cent is traded on the Antwerp diamond market. (This percentage is worth about US$860 million.)

In a press release, AWDC said the strong diamond trading relationship between the two nations is due to the fact “our two countries share the same values, such as sustainability, transparency, and a very strict implementation of the Kimberley Process[6] Certification Scheme.”

Source URL: https://www.jewellerybusiness.com/news/belgian-royals-explore-canadian-diamond-mining-process/

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