SourcingMay 02, 2022
Petra Looking to Sell One of Its Mines in South Africa SourcingMay 09, 2022
First Diamonds from Sierra Leone’s Tongo Mine Coming to Market
Australian company Newfield Resources is developing the mine and will sell its production through Bonas Group in Antwerp.
An entrance to the Tongo Diamond Mine in eastern Sierra Leone. Bonas Group will hold a tender sale of the first rough diamonds from the mine later this month.
Antwerp—The first sale of rough diamonds from Tongo, a new diamond mine in Sierra Leone, will take place later this month at the Bonas Group offices in Antwerp.
Newfield Resources Ltd., the company developing the mine, announced in late April it had inked an exclusive diamond sales and marketing agreement with Bonas for the mine’s production.
Via its partnership with Bonas, Tongo goods will be tracked from mine to market using Sarine Technologies’ traceability program, Newfield said.
The mine, which has been in the works for more than decade, is “well known for its high-quality material,” Bonas said.
Tender viewings of the Tongo material will take place on the first floor of the Bonas Group offices in Antwerp between May 16 and 20.
The sale is scheduled to close May 20 at 1 p.m. CET/7 a.m. EDT and will be an online, highest bid tender on Newfieldbids.com.
Bookings for the tender are invitation-only, but requests can be submitted to Bonas Antwerp. Interested clients are requested to call the office at +32 (0) 3233 7080.
Related stories will be right here …
Newfield Resources Ltd., the company developing the mine, announced in late April it had inked an exclusive diamond sales and marketing agreement with Bonas for the mine’s production.
Via its partnership with Bonas, Tongo goods will be tracked from mine to market using Sarine Technologies’ traceability program, Newfield said.
The mine, which has been in the works for more than decade, is “well known for its high-quality material,” Bonas said.
Tender viewings of the Tongo material will take place on the first floor of the Bonas Group offices in Antwerp between May 16 and 20.
The sale is scheduled to close May 20 at 1 p.m. CET/7 a.m. EDT and will be an online, highest bid tender on Newfieldbids.com.
Bookings for the tender are invitation-only, but requests can be submitted to Bonas Antwerp. Interested clients are requested to call the office at +32 (0) 3233 7080.
Based in Australia, Newfield has been developing the Tongo Diamond Project since 2018, when it acquired the site from Stellar Diamonds.
The project comprises two adjacent mining licenses covering a combined area of 134 square kilometers (about 52 square miles) in eastern Sierra Leone with five primary kimberlite pipes.
The first two pipes Newfield will mine have been dubbed Kundu and Lando.
Newfield said processing from the underground and surface at Kundu continues to yield “encouraging results,” with a high proportion of what’s recovered turning out to be gem-quality diamonds.
It is believed Tongo will produce 8.3 million carats of diamonds over the span of its life, including an indicated and inferred resource of 3.03 million carats at Lando and 2.76 million carats at Kundu.
Newfield employed 200 people at the mine as of March 31, including graduate trainees, contractors, and interns. Of the 200, 166 (83 percent) are local Sierra Leonians and 128 (64 percent) have permanent employment contracts, it said.
Twelve percent (about 20 people) of the local employees are women. Newfield said it intends to increase the number of women working at the mine, in line with its diversity policy.
In addition to Tongo in Sierra Leone, Newfield is conducting diamond exploration in neighboring Liberia via two licenses covering 670 square kilometers (about 259 square miles), known collectively as the Kumgbo Kimberlite Project.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
Events & AwardsMay 22, 2026
Instore Buys JA New York ShowThe deal closed this week, which means Instore will produce the JA NY show slated to take place this fall.
FinancialsMay 22, 2026
Richemont’s Jewelry Brands Lead the Charge in Q4The company’s jewelry sales were up in Q4 and the fiscal year, with Richemont raising prices in part because of the cost of gold.
CollectionsMay 22, 2026
Leigh Maxwell Celebrates 5 Years at Couture With ‘Bauble’ CollectionThe “Bauble” capsule collection of colorful one-of-a-kinds includes our Piece of the Week, the “Bauble” earrings, featuring rose zircon.
Brought to you by
All Eyes on Gold Prices. Alternatives to Look For. And What to BEWARE of in VegasAs gold prices rise, today’s retailers are looking for alternatives at prices that will appeal to wider audiences.
MajorsMay 22, 2026
Stuller’s New Packaging, Display Catalog Is Out The updated catalog has a newly dedicated section for gift wrapping.
Weekly QuizMay 21, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
PodcastsMay 21, 2026
Episode 5: Sotheby’s Frank Everett Puts the Auction Market in PerspectiveEverett covers colored stones’ surging popularity, the mellow return of the “Mellon Blue,” and his “The Devil Wears Prada” doppelgänger.
IndependentsMay 21, 2026
Springer’s Jewelers’ New Flagship Will Serve Next-Gen Luxury ShoppersFourth-generation CEO Lilly Mullen wants to emphasize experience, connection, and personalized service.
Brought to you by
How Modern Training Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage for Jewelry RetailersWith the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.
Events & AwardsMay 21, 2026
JA Announces Nina Pugliese Memorial ScholarshipThe new award, created in partnership with Henne Jewelers, honors the late designer’s legacy through supporting jewelry education.
CrimeMay 20, 2026
NYPD Warns of Jewelry Swap Scams Targeting SeniorsThe NYPD is warning elderly New Yorkers to keep their jewelry hidden when walking outside to avoid being a target.
IndependentsMay 20, 2026
Adornment & Theory’s New Store Feels Like Home Designer Viviana Langhoff has realized her dream of owning a space for her Chicago jewelry store that looks and feels like her brand.
Events & AwardsMay 20, 2026
Here Is Couture’s 2026 Education Lineup The sessions will run from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31, with one being a live taping of an episode of Couture’s podcast.
Lab-GrownMay 20, 2026
Savannah Friedkin Jewelry Names New CEOFormer Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry executive Morgan P. Richardson is joining the lab-grown diamond jewelry brand.
WatchesMay 19, 2026
Here’s the AP x Swatch Pocket Watch That Caused PandemoniumThe $400 pocket watch is a blend of Audemars Piguet’s iconic eight-sided Royal Oak and Swatch’s unserious Pop watches from the ‘80s.
CollectionsMay 19, 2026
Chris Ploof’s New Collection Makes an Ancient Metal ModernWith gold prices on the rise, the “Modern Electrum” collection uses an alternative, non-tarnishing metal alloy composed of gold and silver.
IndependentsMay 19, 2026
Ellen and Michael Fruchtman Retire, Sell Marketing Agency Fruchtman Marketing has new owners, Erin Moyer-Carballea and Manuel Carballea, and will relocate to Miami.
ColumnistsMay 19, 2026
Peter Smith: The (Mostly) Immutable Sales TruthsIn a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Smith lists 10 time-tested principles about sales that still ring true.
ColumnistsMay 18, 2026
Edahn Golan: What a K-Shaped Economy Means for Fine JewelryIn a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Golan spells out how the growing economic divide in the U.S. is reshaping the market.
CollectionsMay 18, 2026
Foundrae’s New Collection Taps Into JoyThe “Limitless Expansion of Joy and Hope” collection evokes summer through colored gemstones and motifs of butterflies and florals.
CollectionsMay 18, 2026
Hancocks London Acquires Historic ‘Inchiquin’ EmeraldThe jewel, circa 1890, is from the late Victorian era and was owned by descendants of the last high king of Ireland.
Events & AwardsMay 18, 2026
Here Are the 2026 JCK Industry Fund Grant Recipients This is what the nine recipients plan to do with the funds.
AuctionsMay 15, 2026
American Collector Ponies Up Almost $17K for John Wayne’s RingThe Western star’s 14-karat gold signet ring sold for six times its low estimate following a bidding war at U.K. auction house Elmwood’s.
Events & AwardsMay 15, 2026
JA, MJSA To Sponsor Roundtable at TJSThe discussion, "Rebuilding the Jewelry Workforce," will take place on Saturday, May 16, in Troy, Michigan.
AuctionsMay 14, 2026
White Diamonds Lead Sotheby’s Auction, Blue Diamond Does Not SellA matching pair of 18.38-carat, D-color diamonds from Botswana’s Jwaneng mine sold for $3.3 million, the top lot of the jewelry auction.
Supplier BulletinMay 14, 2026
A Diamond Is Forever Continues Desert Diamonds – Bridal ReinvigoratedSponsored by A Diamond Is Forever
SourcingMay 14, 2026
State of Colored Stones: The Spirit of Young American Gemstone CuttersThe next generation of lapidarists are entrepreneurial, engaged online, and see the craft as a means for artistic expression.
AuctionsMay 14, 2026
‘Ocean Dream’ Makes Waves at Christie’s, Fetching $17MIt was the second auction appearance for the fancy vivid blue-green diamond, which sold for $7.8 million at Christie’s Geneva 12 years ago.
