Angola produced 8.837 million carats of rough diamonds in 2015, a record figure for the country, which earned revenue of US$1.107 billion, Minister of Geology and Mining Francisco Queirós said, according to media reports. The figures were released as part of the report on activity in the diamond and ornamental stone sub-sectors in 2015.

The minister reportedly said that the drop in international prices of rough meant that though production was higher, the revenue for 2015 was lower than the US$ 1.303 billion that the country earned in 2014.

The reports stated that though production in the ornamental stone sector at 39,500 cubic metres was below target, revenues of US$8.3 million from the sector, exceeded the forecast.

During the year, the Ministry of Geology and Mining issued 33 licenses, the report noted, of which three were for diamonds and one for gold.