![]() About 60% of the world’s diamonds are mined in Africa, contributing approximately US$8.5 billion to the continent each year. Sometimes, the diamond mines in Africa are a curse to the communities they are situated. Other countries in Africa where diamonds are mined include Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Lesotho. In recent times, diamond supplies on land have dwindled and become scarce and as such the country has been forced to explore mining offshore. Namibia’s economy depends heavily on diamond mining as diamonds make up at least half of the country’s foreign exchange. The Bakwanga and Forminiere mines are the DRC’s major mines while a majority of the other mines are in rebel territories. Is the third-largest producer of diamonds in Africa and according to the country’s chamber of mines, most stones are mined by small-scale miners whose numbers range between 200,000-40,000.Īlthough the country is rich in diamonds, the proceeds from stone sales is an unimpressive amount owing to the effects of corruption, political instability, and genocide which rock the country. The mines in South Africa include the Baken mine, Cullinan mine, Finsch mine, Kimberly mine, Koffiefontein mine, and Venetia mine. With production exceeding 8.3 million carats, the country’s diamond exports were valued at about $1.5 billion in 2016. Diamond mining has gone on for over 150 years. One of the nine pieces adorns her crown and the others, her scepter. The huge, magnificent diamond was cut into nine pieces and used in the British crown jewels. In 1905, Callunan, the world’s largest diamond at 3016.75 carats, was discovered in South Africa. Holds the record for the largest diamond discovery in the world. ![]() Oil is now the major contributor to the country’s economy. While in the past diamonds made the bulk of Angola’s economy, in recent times they play only a supporting role. In 2019, the country’s production of industrial and semi-industrial diamonds increased to 19.15 million carats with stones sales reaching $1.3 billion. The total amount of rough diamonds reported to have been produced in Angola in 2018 was 8.4 million carats, valued at about $1.2 billion. The mine is a joint venture between three parties Endiama, Angola’s state-owned diamond company, the Russian-based Alrosa and Lev Leviev international, a Chinese company. The Catoca mine is the fourth largest diamond mine in the world and is operated by Sociedad Mineira de Catoca. Angola made its first discovery of diamonds in 1912 but a civil war funded by the diamond proceeds which lasted for over twenty-five years left the country in terrible damage. The Mines in Angola include the Catoca diamond mine, Laurica diamond mine, Lulo mine and the Fucauma diamond mine. In 2018, 24 million carats of diamonds were produced in Botswana. It is no wonder that the mine is called Karowe, which means Precious stone in the local language. Other impressive diamonds such as the 1109 carat Lesedi la Rona and the 813-carat Constellation have also been mined in the Karowe mine. In 2015, the second largest diamond to ever have been mined in the world -the Sewelo, a 1758 carat diamond- was discovered in the Karowe mine. Jwaneng, which means “place of small stones”, is an apt name for the mine.īotswana started mining diamonds in 1967 after they gained their independence. The Jwaneng mines are located about 120km from the city of Gaberone and are the richest diamond mine in the whole world. ![]() The Debswana sorting and selling facility situated in the country’s capital Gaberone, is the largest in the world and through it, De beers control the sale of all rough diamonds mined by Debswana. These mines include Jwaneng mines (owned by Debswana Mining Company which is a partnership between De Beers and the Botswana government), Orapa mines, Karowe mines, Damtshaa mines, Letlhakane mines and Lerala mines.ĭiamonds make up more than half of Botswana’s exports and about a quarter of her GDP. These African countries includeīotswana with its well-established diamond mines is the forerunner on the continent. Of the countries where diamonds of gem-quality have been discovered and mined in Africa, the following stand out for their abundant deposit of the precious stones as well as the quality of the stones found there. Top Five Diamond Mining Countries in Africa On the continent are some of the world’s biggest diamond producing countries with historically important diamonds recorded to have been discovered there. Africa, home to some of the largest diamond mines in the world, began mining the precious stone in 1866 after it was first discovered in Kimberly, South Africa.
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