Dr. Benjamin Chavis of the Diamond Empowerment Fund expounds on how joining DEF’s new “Diamonds for Good” membership campaign can do a lot of good for education worldwide.

The U.S. State Department announced late last week that it has entered into a partnership with Guinea to strengthen transparency and good governance in the west African nation’s mining sector, with a particular focus on the Guinean diamond industry.

The new CEO of Rio Tinto said in a recent interview that he is focused on cutting costs within the company’s current operations and won’t sell the mining company’s diamond unit if the price isn’t right.

The head of the assay office in Birmingham is urging the U.K. jewelry industry to weigh in on proposed legislation that would regulate trade in so-called conflict minerals and, possibly, diamonds and colored gemstones as well.

The International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) has decided not to take part in the Presidents Meeting in Istanbul this week due to very low registration from members.

According to De Beers Group and its CEO Philippe Mellier, the future of diamonds lies in diamond brands, particularly those with a traceable, and clean, history.

Alrosa is extending its reach in the U.S. market, agreeing to hold more sales in New York and signing a contract with Sotheby’s allowing the auction house to sell its important stones.

The Kimberley Process (KP) intersessional meeting, the first of the two major meetings members gather for each year, began Tuesday in South Africa, just days after the KP announced the temporary suspension of the Central African Republic.

Take it as a sign of the times. At the Las Vegas shows this year, De Beers and Rio Tinto emphasized the importance of stressing ethical sourcing and the need for retailers to tell the story behind their diamonds.

Rapaport Group Chairman Martin Rapaport gave audience members a rundown on how to sell to the next large generation of consumers, the millennials, during his annual State of the Diamond Industry address, delivered Sunday morning to a packed ballroom at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino.

Leaders from the industry’s top organizations are bringing the new Diamond Source Warranty Protocol downstream during the jewelry shows here, via a panel designed to explain the protocol to retailers.

Rebel violence in the Central African Republic has prompted the Kimberley Process (KP) to temporarily suspend the nation, meaning that the industry needs to avoid trading in rough diamonds from the country until further notice.

A portion of the rough mined by Rio Tinto at its Diavik Diamond Mine in Canada is now being auctioned to companies that are not “Select Diamantaires” and don’t have existing supply agreements with Rio Tinto, the company announced last week.

The Rapaport Group will hold its annual “State of the Diamond Industry” breakfast in Las Vegas, an event that gives attendees an overview of the industry from the perspective of group Chairman Martin Rapaport.

For the first time in the 30-year history of Australia’s Argyle Diamond Mine, the Argyle Pink Diamond Tender will include three diamonds graded as fancy red.

The International Gemological Institute is supplying loose diamonds, ranging in size from melee to one carat, to Carnegie Mellon University for a lunar competition slated to take place in 2015.

The Kimberley Process is recommending an embargo on diamond exports from the Central African Republic following the seizure by rebels of control of the country from former President François Bozizé, according to reports.

Mining company Lucara Diamond Corp. is holding its first tender of “large and exceptional” stones. Viewings in the tender began on April 26 in Gaborone, Botswana and will continue through May 22 in Antwerp.

Law enforcement authorities overseas have rounded up a total of 31 suspects in three different countries wanted in connection with the daring Feb. 18 diamond heist at Brussels Airport, Belgian police announced.

Representatives from Israel, India, Antwerp and Ghana will assist the World Diamond (WDC) council in establishing and operating the Kimberley Process’ (KP) new, permanent administrative body, the WDC announced following its annual meeting held earlier this week.

The World Diamond Council (WDC) has selected former World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) President Avi Paz to replace outgoing head Eli Izhakoff until the next WDC elections, which will be scheduled to take place by the end of 2013.

Mining company Rio Tinto announced on April 30 that the life of its Argyle diamond mine in Western Australia has been extended to at least 2020 following the opening of underground mining operations there.

Mining giant Rio Tinto may consider selling its three diamond mines individually if that proves a better way of increasing value for its shareholders.

The World Diamond Council announced last week that Jose W. Fernandez, the senior most American official overseeing the government policy in regards to the Kimberley Process (KP), will attend the WDC’s annual meeting.

Lazare Kaplan International Inc. has filed criminal proceedings against Antwerp Diamond Bank N.V. regarding the alleged theft of more than $135 million in diamond sales.