Namdeb Reports Theft Of 78-Ct Stone During Strike Action

(IDEX Online) – Police in Namibia are hunting for a diamond estimated to be worth several million dollars that disappeared during a miners' strike.

The Namibia Diamond Trading Company reported the theft after the 78-carat gem went missing during an industrial dispute involving 1,500 mineworkers.

Experts say they cannot provide an exact value for the rough diamond since no information has been release regarding its clarity and color.

Some 1,500 members of the Mineworkers Union of Namibia started strike action on August 2 after turning down the government's offer of a wage rise.

Diamonds accounted for around a quarter of total exports last year, and are Namibia's main export commodity.