Namibia’s diamond production between January and May 2010 was double that of the same period last year, The Namibian.com reported Monday. First quarter sales of local gems totaled nearly N$1 billion, while royalties destined for State coffers for the period were up 12.6% to N$86 million.

“If current production levels continue during the remainder of the year, total diamond production could reach a respectable 1.4 million carats, an increase of 48% over 2009,” Bank Windhoek economist John Steytler said Sunday.

Production figures for January through May, though stellar in comparison to last year’s, are still a far cry from the 1.1 million carats mined during the first five months of 2007. “It is doubtful that production will ever return to pre-crisis levels due to depletion of the onshore resource,” Steytler said.

According to The Namibian.com only 455,000 carats, of the 580,000 carats of diamonds produced so far this year, have been sold – 239,000 carats during the first quarter and 216,000 during April and May.