South African president Thabo Mbeki has called on African countries to do more to expand their jewellery output, with platinum highlighted as one of the key areas for potential growth.

Speaking to a conference of the Diamond High Council (HRD) in Belgium, President Mbeki outlined the importance of developing the continent's jewellery resources.

The president said that in South Africa the country was starting to exploit its natural reserves and to recoup profits from the end product.

"As a country, we are therefore focusing on the further development of the jewellery industry," he explained.

"There are a number of positive factors that have suggested to us that we should work to expand jewellery output," he added.

"South Africa is the leading mine supplier of refined gold, which is the principal jewellery metal and platinum, whose demand for use in jewellery is rapidly growing.

"World jewellery demand is growing very strongly. I am told that jewellery consumes more than three-quarters of annual gold demand, and about half of annual platinum demand. "

Tacy reported that the president wanted Africa to exploit its natural advantages to kick-start growth in other areas, bringing economic development across the continent.

He highlighted South Africa's new mining and minerals legislation and the development of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) as a blueprint for harnessing the platinum industry to wider inclusive economic gain.