RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:articleFrom the last part of the interview:
"We’re rolled out. We acquired the business a year ago and we put it together with Lucara. That’s when I took over as CEO, and we have been busy commercializing it.
And we’ve now had four sales. We’re ramping it up slowly. We have got 10 customers buying on Clara. These are the very large, integrated jewellery and manufacturing houses around the world.
And the feedback we’re getting is overwhelmingly positive. So it is our intention before year-end to open up Clara to our fellow producers, and really for Lucara — that’s a big part of our business strategy.
Clara is a volume story. We believe that our fellow producers will see the immediate benefits of selling on Clara. Not only will they realize higher prices for their diamonds, but they will be selling their diamonds basically in real time."
To me, Clara is the long-term outlook for real growth. It won't matter what new potential mine(s) Lucara acquires going forward, being that concept of the platform can squeeze margins from potentially even the most unprofitable operations. That's some leverage the Botswana government can take to negotiations with De beers next year (this new potential alignment with Lucara/Clara). Perhaps we are witnessing the birth of a great trintiy in the diamond sector!