RAPAPORT… A Botswana-based consortium bought the Lerala diamond mine for $8.1 million in an online auction on Wednesday, the asset’s liquidators
told Rapaport News.
The exact identity of the winner is confidential until the full sale process and regulatory proceedings are complete, John Taylor, associate director of GoIndustry DoveBid South Africa, said Thursday. There were approximately 80 bids for the Botswana mine, he added.
Australia-based Kimberley Diamonds placed Lerala into judiciary management, a restructuring option for insolvent companies, in June last year due to a lack of funding. Liquidators at GoIndustry DoveBid put the project — together with
associated equipment — up for sale from May 24 until Wednesday after failing to secure viable bids.
While there was no pre-sale estimate of the price, the
liquidators were “happy with the outcome,” Taylor said.
Lerala Mine Sells for $8M
The Bottom Line
- A Botswana-based consortium purchased the Lerala diamond mine for $8.1 million in an online auction.
- The sale followed Kimberley Diamonds placing Lerala into judiciary management last June due to funding issues.
- The liquidators conducted the sale after failing to secure viable bids earlier and expressed satisfaction with the final price.
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