Anglo American Plc is discussing a deal worth about $1 billion (R16.5bn) to sell its De Beers diamond business, just a fraction of what the one-time diamond monopoly was once worth. Anglo has so far taken three impairments on De Beers in just three years, lowering its carrying value for the unit to $2.3 billion in February. Read:De Beers makes deep diamond price cuts for shrinking buyers clubSpokespeople for Anglo and Penny’s consortium declined to comment. De Beers was valued at more than $18 billion in 2001, when Anglo and the Oppenheimers took the diamond giant private. GDC would also pump about $500 million into De Beers as part of the deal with Anglo, the people said.