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FREETOWN, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Diamond exports from Sierra Leone rose nearly 14 percent in 2013 to 609,757.66 carats compared with the previous year, boosted by increased output from its Koidu mine, the National Mineral Agency (NMA) said on Friday.
Koidu is operated by Israeli billionaire Beny Steinmetz's Octea group. It sells diamonds worldwide to jewellers such as Tiffany & Co
"The increase in exports was contributed in large parts to the strong showing of Koidu as yearly Kimberlite production increased from 295,334.64 carats to 354.880.66," Ibrahim Mohmed, who oversees the diamond sector at the NMA, told Reuters.
Kimberlite, or industrial production, accounted for 53.77 percent of the diamond exports in 2013, while the rest came from artisanal mining, Mohamed said.
The country's revenue from diamond exports rose 17.62 percent to $9 million for the period.
Sierra Leone hopes its mineral wealth including iron ore mining and oil will enable it lift over 5.5 million people out of poverty and allow the country to shed its past image of a nation racked by one of Africa's most brutal civil wars.
The United Nations in 2003 lifted a worldwide ban on diamonds exported from Sierra Leone and the country is now a member of the Kimberley Process.
The Kimberley Process certification scheme was established by the industry, producer countries and civil society groups in the wake of diamond-fuelled wars in Angola, Sierra Leone and Liberia to ensure that revenue from diamonds sold on the world market does not finance violence.
(Reporting by Christo Johnson; Writing by Bate Felix, editing by David Evans)
((bate.felix@thomsonreuters.com)(+221 33 864 5077)(Reuters Messaging: Reuters Messaging: bate.felix.reuters.com@reuters.net))
Keywords: SIERRALEONE DIAMONDS/EXPORTS