Australia Production $132.6 Mln in Last Quarter

Australia’s diamond production totaled 2.277 million carats in the March quarter, declining 36.4 percent from the 3.582 million carats mined the year before. The drop is mainly the result of the waning production at Argyle.

All of Australia’s production, valued at A$141 million (US$132.6 million), was exported. Of it, were some 22,000 carats of sorted gem quality rough. The value of goods is continually declining, standing at A$194 million (US$183.6 million) only a year ago.

The country imported 90,000 carats of diamonds, to the tune of A$112 million (US$106 million).