442 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1985 
 
AK-i deposit would produce about 25 million carats per year for about 20
years.2 
 Botswana.—The new Jwaneng Mine expanded its diamond production.
While
mining was centered in the middle lobe, stripping proceeded on the northeastern
lobe. The ore grade increased by 23% at the Jwaneng Mine, by 30% at the Letlhakane
Mine, and by 8% at the Orapa Mine. 
 Burma.—The Ministry of Mines carried out exploration for diamonds
by test pitting and drilling. It discovered 68 diamonds with a total weight
of 65.31 carats in the period April 1, 1984, to December 31, i984. Most of
these were industrial diamonds. 
 Demand for Burmese rubies, particularly the bright red, continued to be
strong. Very little material of comparable quality was available from other
producers, such as Kenya, Tanzania, and Pakistan, in 1985. Rubies from Afghanistan
were comparable but their availability was limited. 
 Guinea.—Diamonds from the Aredor project reached the New York
market
in midyear after some delay caused by adverse mining conditions. Société
Mixte AredorGuinea was granted the sole right to explore and,mine within
its concession. Prior to this, private Guinean citizens could also mine in
the concession. The private sector partners will market all the diamonds
until the loans are paid off, after which the Government of Guinea will have
the right to sell 30% of the rough gem diamonds and 50% of the rough industrial
diamonds. The project was scheduled to produce from 250,000 to 500,000 carats
per year.3 
 India.—The Indian diamond industry was almost exclusively dependent
on imports of rough diamonds because domestic production usually totals under
15,000 carats. Imports of rough diamonds for Indian fiscal year 1983-84 totaled
28.4 million carats, the bulk of which came from De Beers. India's efforts
to import diamonds directly from producers was of limited success. Some direct
imports from Botswana, Ghana, and Sierra Leone were arranged. Indian exports
of cut and polished diamonds for Indian fiscal year 1983-84 totaled 5.65
million carats, making India the world's leading diamond exporter, and diamonds
India's largest single export item. Nearly 45% of the diamonds was exported
to the United States. Japan was the second largest buyer, accounting for
11%, much less than that of the United States. 
 In response to foreign competition, the Indian industry announced plans
to introduce foreign technology and machinery into 
what had been a cottage industry and was considering the production of sawn
diamonds. The Government of India reduced duties on diamond cutting machinery
and tools. Plans for a public-private joint venture to build a 1,300-acre
self-contained diamond industrial park in Surat were announced. 
 India opened its first diamond exchange in Bombay on February 25. Titled
the Bharat Diamond Bourse, it enrolled 150 members and provided them with
customs clearance facilities and a vault for storing consignments. 
 The Government of India staged a series of income tax raids on diamond traders
to seize records and diamond stocks as a part of its overall campaign against
Government corruption and the underground economy. The industry responded
by stopping all rough diamond imports and closing down operations. After
a month of negotiations between the Government and the industry, activity
resumed.~ 
 Israel.—Imports of rough diamonds in the period January-October
1985
were $919 million, up 28.4% over the same period in 1984. Exports of cut
and polished diamonds in the period January-October 1985 were $1,034 million,
up 20.4% over the same period in 1984. 
 Namibia.—The Government-established Thirion commission of inquiry
that had been investigating allegations of corruption and misappropriation
of funds in the diamond industry for several years obtained evidence that
the Diamond Board had not been exercising its regulatory powers over diamond
mining as was originally intended. Interest centered on the alleged serious
undervaluation of taxable diamond exports and on the excessive depletion
of reserves in the diamond deposits. The Thirion commission's major purpose
was to recommend ways of obtaining a greater degree of governmental control
over the mining industry. 
 Pakistan.—The Pakistani Federal Bureau of Statistics reported
that
$1.5 million worth of gem stones was exported in the latest period, the fiscal
year 1983-84, mainly to Hong Kong, the Federal Republic of Germany, the United
States, and the United Kingdom. The exports, by type, included 130,282 kilograms
of rough emeralds and 
326 kilograms of cut emeralds, 6,062 kilograms of rough rubies and 3,912
kilograms of cut rubies, and 430 kilograms of rough sapphires and 865 kilograms
of cut sapphires.