Firestone Diamonds plc is a UK-based international diamond mining and exploration company with operations in the Namaqualand region of South Africa and Botswana. Namaqualand, which is located on the west coast of South Africa, has been one of the world's largest alluvial diamond producing regions for the past 60 years, with total production to date estimated to be worth more than $3 billion. Botswana is the world's largest producer of diamonds by value, with annual production of over 20 million carats worth over $1.6 billion.

Firestones strategy has been to build a portfolio comprising advanced development and production projects to provide sustainable cash flow to fund ongoing exploration programmes and to provide an early return on investment, together with large scale exploration projects which have the potential to yield significant reserves of gem quality diamonds.

The company operates the Avontuur Mine and the Oena Mine of Namaqualand, which produces high quality alluvial diamonds, and has a growing portfolio of advanced and early stage exploration projects in known diamond producing areas in Namaqualand and Botswana.



Since 1996 the company has increased reserves and resources more than thirty two times from 34,000 carats to over 1.1 million carats at present, with an estimated gross value of approximately 260 million. Firestone is debt free and well funded and has a highly qualified management team with extensive experience in the financing and development of diamond and other natural resource projects. Firestone is quoted on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange and trades under the symbol FDI.L.

Firestone also has an exploration project in the USA.



Main Mining Pit, Avontuur Mine, Namaqualand, South Africa.






For FDI Corporate information : http://www.firestonediamonds.com/frcorporate.htm

For FDI homepage : http://www.firestonediamonds.com/index.htm

Firestone Dimaonds shares in issue: 65m 20p Ords

Firestone Diamonds PLC - Major Shareholders

Major Shareholders ---- Amount --- % Holding
Elfin Trust Company Ltd 7,200,000 16.68
Aurora Investment Trust 7,200,000 16.68
Gartmore Investment Mgt 5,418,116 12.56

Queen1,

Hopefully we have bounced off the bottom now, and the 150DMA too!

Please.....!

Queen1,

Well we have a better day today(so far, touchwood!), +8p at the moment, to 142.5p MID.

Volume lowish, and mostly private investor size trades.

Queen1,

Moving northwards again this morning, and I have topped up again, I feel there is real quality here, and the opportunity to buy below 150p was too hard to resist.

Stock is in short supply I hear.

Hmmm - I've been trying not to get carried away Andy but the last few days have been better. What are the implications of the stock supply on this one?

queen1,

It's a tightly held stock, directors hold over 30% including trust funds, and institutions hold a fair chunk, which takes us over 50%, then we have some large holders!

Altogether that doesn't leave many in the free float, which makes you wonder how it could drop so much from the high!

I would like to see a little more volume to accompany the recent rise personally, some news would be welcome!

Thanks Andy

Queen1,

Now THIS is an impressive RNS IMHO!
=========================================

Firestone Diamonds PLC
13 May 2005

Firestone Diamonds plc

Senior Executive Appointment

LONDON: 13 May 2005 - The Board of Firestone Diamonds plc, ('the Company'), the
AIM-quoted diamond mining and exploration company, is pleased to announce the
appointment of Mr. Tim Wilkes as Director Resource Development for the Firestone
Diamonds group.

Mr. Wilkes joins Firestone from De Beers, where he was General Manager Mineral
Resource Management, with responsibility for the management of De Beers' mineral
resource portfolio worldwide, and was the Competent Person responsible for the
evaluation, classification and reporting of the company's mineral resources and
reserves.

Mr. Wilkes brings over twenty four years' experience in the diamond industry,
including twenty years with De Beers. He has worked extensively on kimberlite
and alluvial diamond exploration, evaluation and mining projects worldwide,
including four years at the Orapa Mine in Botswana, and six years on the west
coast of South Africa and Namibia. He is Chairman of the sub-committee for
diamonds of the South African Mineral Resource Committee (SAMREC), which is
responsible for the publication of the SAMREC Code. The SAMREC Code sets out
standards for reporting of exploration results, mineral resources and mineral
reserves in South Africa.

In his new position, Mr. Wilkes will be responsible for leading the development
of Firestone's mineral resource portfolio. His primary focus will initially be
on the Company's strategic projects, as follows:

the Mopipi and Orapa projects in Botswana, which are being explored in
joint venture with De Beers, and where a number of kimberlites have been
recently discovered and are in the process of being evaluated

the Jwaneng project in Botswana, which is also being explored in joint
venture with De Beers

the Company's other new exploration projects in the Orapa and Jwaneng
areas

the Groen River Valley project in Namaqualand



Mr. Wilkes will also be responsible for the identification and evaluation of
potential new projects for the Company in Southern Africa and elsewhere. Mr.
Wilkes will report to Philip Kenny, Chief Executive Officer, and will join the
group's Executive Committee.

Commenting on today's announcement, Philip Kenny, CEO of Firestone Diamonds,
said: 'We are delighted that Tim has decided to join Firestone. He is one of
the leading professionals in his field, and the extensive experience and skills
that he brings to our senior management team will be a great asset to the
Company in developing and expanding the Company's project portfolio.'

For further information:

Philip Kenny, Firestone Diamonds +44 20 7370 6452 / +44 7831 324 645
Leesa Peters, Conduit PR +44 20 7618 8760 / +44 7812 159 885
Jamie Cumming, Bell Lawrie White +44 141 314 8103 / +44 77 6804 4620

Website: www.firestonediamonds.com

Sparkling diamonds soaring in popularity.


The Sunday Times
22 May 2005

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2095-1622100,00.html


A HUGE increase in global demand for diamonds will force prices up by a third in the next few years, it is predicted. Either that or the market will face a $3 billion (1.6 billion) supply shortage by 2012, writes Dan Box.

James Picton, an analyst at WH Ireland, will warn an international diamond conference tomorrow at the London stockbroker Hargrave Hale that demand will rise by at least 50% by 2012, to $14 billion (7.7 billion).

This is equal to the combined annual production of Russia and Botswana, the worlds biggest diamond producers. Meanwhile, reserves in Australia and Canada are declining.

As a result, prices for rough diamonds, from which gems are cut, will go up by at least 30%. Although much of this will be absorbed by companies that act as middlemen in the diamond trade, the price of gemstones will inevitably rise.

You have supply going up by 1% a year on average, and demand going up by at least 5% a year, he said. But that was a conservative estimate and the real increase in demand could be much higher.

There are going to be other mines coming on stream, but nothing like another $3 billion worth. Thats almost another De Beers. Its just not going to happen, he said.

Demand was being driven by both the industrial and commercial markets, while there had been a massive new increase in demand for gemstones in China and India, Picton said.

Splendid news - more profits for FDI without hurting my pocket as I'm not in the market for diamonds at present ;-)

Queen1,

Someone told me last week at Minesite that Firestone and Petra are presenting tomorrow at the above mentioned conference at Hargrave Hale.

Could be potentially interesting. It would be good to get FDI moving again.

Bought some more FDI this morning, with all these buys today the price should have moved up like it did in the past, i see AFD as gone down ?

Can anyone tell me about Firestone's activities in America,please?
Thanks,Ethel

ethel,

There's not too much known at the moment, FDI haven't released the location of their exploration for commercial reasons, although they are thought to be near the Canadian border.

I'm hoping for some news regarding the USA exploration in the near future, as it seems quite a while since they last released any, and they have been there for two years.

Here's a copy of the RNS FDI released on 03.06.2004.

-------------------------------------


Please note - RELEASED ON 01/06/2004 -


Firestone Diamonds signs joint venture deal with US' ADI
AFX


LONDON (AFX) - Firestone Diamonds PLC said it has signed a letter of intent to enter into a joint venture over a kimberlite exploration project in the US with American Diamonds Inc (ADI).

Firestone also said results from the project were positive.

CEO Philip Kenny said: 'We are very pleased with the results of our exploration in the US, which indicate the potential for diamondiferous kimberlite in our project area.

'We expect that the next phase of exploration, which will be fully funded by our new joint venture partner, American Diamonds, will carry us through to the identification and drilling of potential kimberlite targets.'


Released 01.06.2004.
===========================================================================

Bounced of the 150DMA line again, and a nice little jump today.

Quite incredible that this thread is so quiet after such a good couple of days.

FDI must be due to release some news fairly soon.

Gets a mention in shares mag today:

"Shares in portfolio favourite Firestone
Diamonds (FDI:AIM) have sparkled since we
tipped them at 89.5p back in November and
word has it that investors can expect a a series
of announcements over the coming few weeks.
The company has remained schtum since
interim figures in March and the shares have
paused for breath, but could it be that theres
more good news on kimberlites at its Orapa
project in Botswana?"

SP should be on the up if it's accurate.

That would be most welcome!

queen1, RD,

Well we're up 4p now, so someone think's it's accurate!

And if we stay at this level, we will have broken the recent downtrend IMO.

I have been expecting news for a few weeks now, as the rate of exploration in Botswan must mean they have drilled up to 60 more holes since the last news.

FDI,EPD and AFD all closed up today.