With South Africa being a significant producer of gem-quality
diamonds, various efforts are being undertaken to develop jaw 400x 600 specits
downstream diamond industry.
The Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Training School in Johannesburg,
funded by the Diamond Foundation and De Beers, provides the
opportunity for students – mainly from South Africa, but also
from all over the world – to be trained in various aspects of
the downstream diamond industry.
Some of the courses the school offers include a four-week
rough-diamond course, as well as a six-month diamond-polishing
course.
The aim of the rough-diamond course is to give students a basic
understanding of the characteristics and qualities of a rough
diamond in relation to colour, size, clarity, shape and cut.
In the diamond-polishing course, the school aims to prepare
students for a career as a diamond polisplants with impact crushers<alcom cement industries germeny/a>her.
“At present, most of our students are from
previously-disadvantaged communities,” reports school
chairperson Raisaka Masebelanga.
“We believe that, at the school, we are introducing students
from previously-disadvantaged communities to an industry they would
otherwise never even have been aware of.
“Through this effort, we would like to demystify an industry
that was previously not accessible to many South Africans.
“At present I estimate the diamond-cutting industry as having
about 1 500 participants.
“However, by creating an awareness of the school’s
existence, more people can be trained, and the industry greatly
expanded,” insists Masebelanga.
“Nevertheless, it is important to develop the school and
introduce more students to the industry at a steady pace to ensure
that the foundations of a new downstream industry are
strong.” Masebelanga tells Mining Weekly that the school has
an outstanding reputation not only in South Africa, but also around
the world.
“We are definitely the most advanced diamond-training school
in Africa, and one of the best in the world, with students from
countries such as Hawaii visiting us on a regular basis,” he
says.
The school is committed to providing the most up-to-date training,
and endeavours to respond to technological breakthroughs in the
industry by obtaining the latest machinery available in order to
familiarise its students with the technology, as well as training
them in how to operate it.
To ensure that the school’s training is accepted
internationally, special courses are also presented by the
Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
“GIA representatives have presented courses in
diamond-grading and gem-identification at the school earlier this
year,” reports school director Koos Rademeyer.
The school is equipped to accommodate about 40 students, who are
trained with real diamonds.
“With diamonds having unique features, we cannot train our
students with anything else,” explains Rademeyer.
Diamonds for the school are provided free of charge by De Beers
company Diamdel.
From 1991 to May this year, 2 783,49 carats have been
supplied.
Although the school is well-known in the established diamond
industry, Masebelanga believes extensive marketing is needed for
the general public to become aware of its existence.
“We have extensive plans to market our various courses, be it
through advertising and the Internet, or actually taking courses to
the people, rather than them visiting us,” he proposes.
Masebelanga and Rademeyer believe that attending the course for six
months might be too expensive for many potential students from
previously-disadvantaged communities, and that they would therefore
not be able to become involved in the industry.
For this reason, one or two lecturers from the school might travel
to rural areas and teach there in order to reduce costs as much as
possible.
It is hoped that this would be a way of establishing a rural-based
cutting industry in due course.
“With us training many new diamond polishers and cutters, we
believe that, through the diamond school, we must also offer
business opportunities for these students,” reports De Beers
diamond projects manager Andr