De Beers buys stake in laser technology firm Synova
Diamond extraordinaire De Beers Group has acquired a 33.4 percent equity stake in Synova S.A., a Swiss-based manufacturer of laser micro jet (LMJ) technology.
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Under the partnership, Synova will assist De Beers in developing a fully automated cutting and shaping solution, with LMJ at its core.
The technology, according to De Beers, has the potential to help diamantaires achieve higher yields, reduce the risk of damage to stress slopes and generate higher throughput owing to faster cutting time and easier processing.
The acquisition backs the diamond group’s approach to developing technologies to enhance the long-term value of its primary product.
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Philippe Mellier, CEO of De Beers Group, said: “This investment is another example of our continued commitment to technology. We have had great success with our technologies related to rough diamond sorting, inscription and grading for the Forevermark programme and synthetic detection. We believe this new cutting technology has the potential to play an important role in the diamond industry, as efficiency becomes ever more important for diamantaires.”
As a member of the Anglo American Group, De Beers is the world’s leading exploration, mining and marketing company in diamonds.
Founded in 1997, Synova S.A. manufactures laser cutting equipment based on the water jet guided laser technology.
Read the full press release here.
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