Obtala Resources has sold its first lot of rough diamonds from the Bakidu site in Sierra Leone, Mining Weekly reported.



The rough stones fetched nearly a quarter-million dollars - $744,270 – with an average per-carat price for gem quality diamonds of $322. The company reports that it sold a parcel of 2,480 carats worth of "special" diamonds for an average per-carat price of $3,278.

Obtala has closed a deal with the Hong Kong-based VL Holdings to take exclusive charge of the transportation, marketing, and sale of its diamonds.



Obtala Chairperson Frank Scolaro issued a statement saying he was "delighted" with the results of the company's first sale of Sierra Leone diamonds, which showed the high value diamonds from the Konoma project – of which the Bakidu site is a part – can realize in the diamond trade.

Sierra Leone has long been associated with trade in conflict diamonds, but is now a member of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.