JANUARY 2019
www.endeavourmagazine.com
lucara botswana A Dazzling Business Model
INSPIRED BY YOUR SUCCESS
WWW.LUCARADIAMOND.COM // 001 604 689 7842
www.littlegatepublishing.com
presents
LUCARA BOTSWANA (PTY) LTD
A DAZZLING BUSINESS MODEL To be a premier operation in a luxury industry takes something more than knowledge and determination and as Lucara proves, that je ne sais quoi is rarer than the world’s finest diamonds. WRITTEN BY AMY BUXTON
LUCARA BOTSWANA (PTY) LTD
Lucara Diamond Corp. is a mining operation with a
difference in that it seeks to locate, harvest and sell only the very best resources possible.
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T
his is no mere lip service, as while less ambitious operations might be happy to offer a variety of stones, Lucara exclusively mines for Type IIA examples and not small ones at that,
“Lucara’s 100 percent owned Karowe diamond Mine, located
in Botswana, has been in production since 2012 and is one of worlds’ foremost producers of large, Type IIA diamonds in excess of 10.8 carats, including the historic 1,109 carat Lesedi La Rona (second largest gem diamond ever recovered) and the 813 carat Constellation (sold for a record US$63.1 million).” Now that you’re sat up and paying attention, it’s time to take a
Karowe Mine Started Here (AK 6)
closer look at how a diamond mining operation becomes a global industry leader, which is something that Naseem Lahri, Managing Director, was able to explain.
A CUT ABOVE THE REST Asking Naseem what it is that really sets Lucara apart from its competitors, she was happy to reveal that, “Firstly, it’s our commitment to invest in technology. We are pioneers in the way that we’ve done things in that we are always looking for new innovations that will improve our efficiency and the safety of our team. From purchasing state of the art machines for recovering diamonds through to investing in a new sales platform, we are always at the very forefront of things. The other thing
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that sets us apart is that the management team is willing to take some calculated risks. We aren’t afraid to get on with some tough decision making.”
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LUCARA BOTSWANA (PTY) LTD It’s no secret that mining is an industry that has come on in
we aren’t, thanks to how niche our operation has always been. We
leaps and bounds, in terms of safety and responsible exploration
exclusively source Type IIA diamonds, which make up just 1-2%
techniques, in recent years, but Lucara has been ahead of the game
of all excavated stones, making us a premier provider with a bank
from day one. Instead of having to play catch up with modern
of dedicated clients. The fact that we constantly invest in new
legislation and improved operational methodologies, Lucara has
technology has also helped us to navigate ourselves away from
been working in accordance with international best practices
standard industry difficulties.”
since 2012 and not just in terms of safety. Looking to the global
Though on paper, choosing to create a niche from day one could
mining industry for inspiration as to sustainability, environmental
have been considered risky, it was obviously one of the ‘calculated
responsibility and even community interaction. The result is a
risks’ that Naseem acknowledges has made for a courageous
recognisably innovative and enviably premium operation that acts
management team that produces results. Why settle for average,
as a shining example to the world.
when you can be aspirational?
CARVING ITS OWN NICHE
THE MOST PRICELESS ASSETS
Naturally, while discussing Lucara with Naseem, Endeavour
When working alongside the most precious stones in the world,
Magazine wanted to know how the market is currently performing.
it must be easy to see everything in terms of monetary value, but
Given the luxurious nature of the resources being mined, it wouldn’t
Naseem had a surprise up her sleeve,
come as a surprise if there were periods of turbulence, but Lucara appears to have a built-in life jacket for such rough spells,
“Our staff are the most valuable assets and resources that Lucara has. We recognise this every day and seek to demonstrate it
“Questions about the buoyancy of the diamond industry can
through continuous professional development, internal promotions
be hard to answer, as we are the exception to the rule, as opposed
and optimised safety procedures. We want to develop long-term
to being the rule itself. Some competitors might be struggling, but
team members, so we look for people that share our values, both
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LUCARA BOTSWANA (PTY) LTD at home and at work and we always look to promote from within, before we look at outside talent.” There’s a real sense of Lucara being a family away from home, for everyone that works for the company and just like a real family, Naseem explains that people can always come home, “When our GM left us, we were happy for him to go and stretch his wings and experience opportunities elsewhere, but we realised that he was the right person for us, bar none. We approached him to come back, which he did, and we’ve been working perfectly ever since.” When was the last time that you heard about a company putting humility and the good of the entire operation ahead of pride? While so many organisations would not choose to invite a former employee back, Lucara simply followed its principles of always wanting the best. Unusual it might be, but this decision is just one more example of the way that Lucara is always working just that little bit differently to everyone else and let’s face it; the results really speak for themselves, so it must be an approach that works.
A BRIGHT FUTURE With a unique business model in place, a contingent of appreciated and well rewarded staff, a reputation that competitors would kill for and performance levels that nobody can rival, Lucara is now looking ahead to 2019 with vigour and positivity: “Obviously we are looking to further develop Clara, our next generation sales platform that will make purchasing a far simpler process, but we are also devoting time to mining feasibility studies. We want to extend our local reach, so potential is being assessed and then there’s new technology. Obviously, we can’t predict what will be created in the next year, but I can tell you that our eyes are very much peeled, to ensure that we are ready to invest in anything relevant to us.” Lucara’s 2019 looks set to be filled with clarity and promise and who could ask for anything more?
Lazenby Holdings are proud to support and work alongside Lucara Botswana Physical Address: Unit 28 Kgale Mews Plot 113 Gaborone International Finance Park Gaborone, Botswana
Postal Address: PO Box 1729, Orapa Botswana
+267 779 03 155
P O Box 11336 Palapye Tel/Fax: 4970205 Cell: +267 74172958 / 73325730 Email: serioussystem@gmail.com Civil works • Drilling • Earth works • Mechanical Engineering & Installations • Steel Structures / erection / design • Piping & Piping Products • Vehicle loading (heavy) transport