By John Helmer in Moscow LUKoil ends raid against Archangel Diamond’s Russian project, opening up new mine possibility. Grib is Russian for mushroom, and this isn’t the season for harvesting them. Grib is also the name of a diamond pipe, first discovered in northwestern Russia in 1996 — and the target of a Russian raid […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, April 16th, 2008
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By John Helmer in Moscow Underground mine costs are pushing Alrosa towards diamond prospects in southwestern Africa Back in the good old friendly days,one thing was always understood by the senior executives and mine engineers of De Beers and Alrosa, the world’s diamond mining leaders. Alrosa faced serious risks and incalculable costs in trying to […]

by John Helmer - Saturday, April 5th, 2008
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By John Helmer in Moscow A mysterious and protracted investigation by the Toronto Stock Exchange and Ontario market regulators of De Beers-owned Archangel Diamond Corporation (ADC) is being kept secret on the apparent legal advice of Robert Shirriff. A Canadian Queen’s Counsel since 1972, and partner in the law firm of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin, Shirriff […]

by John Helmer - Monday, February 11th, 2008
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By John Helmer in Moscow De Beers, NM Rothschild hold secret talks which could result in the release of Russian diamond asset How long must the clock tick before disclosure delayed turns into news concealed, and insider trading? Speculators on the share value of Toronto-listed Archangel Diamond Corporation (ADC) — ticker AAD — thought they […]

by John Helmer - Monday, November 19th, 2007
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By John Helmer in Moscow Russian diamond cutters face shutdown of operations or domestic supplies if VAT tax waiver is abolished on January 1. Alrosa, Russia’s dominant supplier of rough, has sent a notice to domestic diamond cutters, warning that from January 1, it will add 18% value-added tax (VAT) to its rough diamond pricing. […]

by John Helmer - Tuesday, November 13th, 2007
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By John Helmer in Moscow Israelis claim Russian identity to announce Angolan diamond mine venture. That Russian mining companies have deep pockets and Kremlin clout is a handle that has been tried on South African gold bugs and the Canadian venture investor market with modest and shortlived effect. But it is unheard-of for a group […]

by John Helmer - Thursday, November 8th, 2007
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By John Helmer in Moscow At the Antwerp diamond conference Alrosa and De Beers switch positions on value of diamond beneficiation. Diamond-miners are wolves; diamond-cutters are sheep. At least that’s the way it has usually appeared to the governments of countries fortunate enough to supervise lucrative mineable diamond deposits. Expressed in terms of the diamond […]

by John Helmer - Thursday, October 25th, 2007
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By John Helmer in Moscow Russian diamond manufacturers have reacted critically towards Alrosa chief executive, Sergei Vybornov, attacking key proposals he made at last week’s Antwerp Diamond Conference. Vybornov ousted Alexander Nichiporuk from the top spot at Alrosa in February. But after a string of misstatements drew fire from domestic policymakers, he has limited his […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, October 24th, 2007
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By John Helmer in Moscow De Beers’s arsenal resists Usmanov attack on the Grib pipe and the Arsenal pitch. A public relations blitz under way this month in London and the UK media has produced charges and counter-charges involving Alisher Usmanov, an iron-ore and steel magnate. He is accused of conspiring with other Russians to […]

by John Helmer - Sunday, October 21st, 2007
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By John Helmer in Moscow A public relations blitz under way in London and the UK media has produced charges and counter-charges involving Alisher Usmanov, an iron-ore and steel magnate, who was named in US court papers as one of the principal defendants in the affair of the Grib pipe, a major diamond deposit in […]

by John Helmer - Tuesday, October 16th, 2007
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