A world map showing the countries where gem-quality and industrial diamonds are mined. Graphs, tables and charts showing the geography and history of diamond mining and natural diamond production across the world.
Learn about the early days of diamond mining, when most diamond deposits were alluvial and what happened when diamonds were discovered underground.
The Cullinan diamond mine is located in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The site is situated 40km east of Pretoria in Cullinan. The diamond mine is also known as Premier mine. The open-pit mining at the Cullinan diamond mine began in 1903. It is one of the major sources of blue diamonds in the world.
South Africa accounts for 10% of global production, with the largest producers being Russia, Botswana, Canada and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Exports of diamonds from South Africa increased by 13% in 2023 over 2022. South Africa's diamond exports are expected to grow at a CAGR of 12150% between 2023 and 2027.
South Africa is known for its beautiful landscape, wildlife, sunny weather and also for its diamond, gold and platinum reserves. However, it wasn't until the late 1800s when the discovery of the first diamond in South Africa made diamonds more attainable to the middle class, changing the worldwide diamond industry forever.
Cecil Rhodes arrives in South Africa and invests three thousand pounds in the Kimberley diamond diggings 1871 Johannes and Diederik de Beer buy Vooruitzicht farm in the then Orange Free State and discover diamonds on the land.
South Africa's biggest diamond mine, Venetia, is located in the Northern Transvaal within Limpopo Province in the north-east part of the country. The mine is …
Economic activity in modern-day South Africa has been centred on mining activities, their ancillary services and supplies. The country's stock exchange in Johannesburg was established in 1887, a decade after the first diamonds were discovered on the banks of the Orange River, and almost simultaneously with the gold rush on the world-famous …
The Big Hole is a large open-pit diamond mine located in present-day Kimberley, South Africa. It is considered to be the largest and deepest hand-excavated hole in the world.
South Africa is the southernmost country on the African continent, renowned for its varied topography, great natural beauty, and cultural diversity, all of which have made the country a favored destination for travelers since the legal ending of apartheid (Afrikaans: 'apartness,' or racial segregation) in 1994.
The discovery of diamonds in 1869 and of gold in 1886 changed the South African economy significantly. European investment flowed in; by the end of the nineteenth century, it was equivalent to all European investment in the rest of Africa. ... Gold mining in South Africa typically involves methods such as panning, sluicing, dredging, hard rock ...
Within a few years of their discovery, the diamonds deposits of South Africa produced more diamonds than what had come from India in two millennia.
The first diamonds discovered in South Africa were from alluvial deposits. Today, industrial alluvial mining is conducted in a number of different ways, all aimed to remove the material that has, over time, covered the diamond-bearing gravel.
Despite facing decades of criticism regarding "conflict diamonds", De Beers is still one of the world's top diamond mining companies with operations in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Canada.
The new underground mine is the biggest single investment in the country's diamond industry in decades. Around 4,365 people are employed at Venetia mine, of which 2,571 …
Waste from a diamond mine in South Africa grew ever higher as the ownership changed from De Beers to a billionaire to a Dubai-based retailer. The mining town paid the price.
Diamond mining deposit report for "Deposit #Usgs10071395" (#USGS10071395) in Orange Free State, South Africa.
Our global approach to diamond mining spans two continents and four countries – Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Diamonds offer huge economic and social benefits for the countries where we operate.
Petra Diamonds is a leading supplier of gem-quality rough diamonds, mining at four sites across South Africa and Tanzania.
Find the most important statistics and facts on the mining industry in Africa. ... Production of diamonds in South Africa from 2004 to 2023 (in million carats)
South African diamonds helped develop the modern diamond industry. Learn about the South African diamond rush and some of the world's largest diamonds.
LeThabo Diamonds is a Diamond trader with branches in South Africa, Lesotho and Botswana. Our company was founded by Ntate Thabo Kgomare and is it's current Director. His daughter, Lethabo Kgomare, is being groomed to take the reins in the future.
Good knowledge of diamonds, ... activities include all aspects – exploration; mining; processing and blending; shipping; marketing and selling. In South Africa, we have mining operations in the Northern Cape province, as well as a head office in Gauteng, and a port operation in Saldanha Bay, Western Cape. ... Knowledge of mining value …
Kimberley, South Africa, is home to the world's largest diamond mine, also known as the "Big Hole." Dug by humans and so large it is visible from space, the pit has …
In Namibian waters off the west coast of Southern Africa, enormous mining vessels suck diamonds from the seabed.
These kimberlites in ancient, vertically-dipping volcanic pipes are the primary sources of South Africa's diamonds most of which were initially suitable for open-cast mining. The …
Our activities include all aspects – exploration; mining; processing and blending; shipping; marketing and selling. In South Africa, we have mining operations in the Northern Cape province, as well as a head office in Gauteng, and a …
Mining operations remove as much kimberlite as possible and leave deep pits that outline the shape of a "kimberlite pipe." A: The Cullinan mine started as an open-pit operation and transitioned to underground mining in 1946. ... the first South African diamonds were discovered along the Vaal and Orange River beds (known as "alluvial ...
Explore the challenges and opportunities of small-scale diamond mining in South Africa, and how regulations and compliance affect the industry.
In 2018, South Africa produced 10.5Mct of diamonds. Total sales amounted to R16.3 billion, with 55% of diamonds being exported. The underground mining and recovery of diamonds continues to this day in the vicinity of Kimberley, the site of the early main discoveries in the 19th century.
The Premier Mine (now Cullinan Mine) in South Africa is an open-pit mine turned underground mine. Open-pit mining involves removing diamond-bearing …
More than 1,000 fortune seekers on Monday flocked to the village of KwaHlathi in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province in search of what they believed to be diamonds after a discovery of ...