Our Heritage and History

In 1902, Thomas Cullinan, master builder and prospector, discovered and founded the Premier Diamond Mine near Pretoria in South Africa. Less than two years later, on 26th January 1905 the largest gem diamond ever found, the regal Cullinan Diamond, was discovered at his mine. At its centenary, the mine was renamed the Cullinan Mine in his honour.

Who owns South African diamond mines?

The De Beers Diamond Consortium, a South African-British corporation, is a major player in the diamond mining industry in South Africa. It specializes in diamond mining, diamond exploitation, diamond retail, diamond trading, and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors.

Diamonds

Diamond mining in South Africa. 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 19 th century. It is, however, on limited scale with a major focus on reprocessing old tailings dumps to recover diamonds left behind by older recovery processes.

South Africa Diamond Mines Map

The history of diamond mining in South Africa began in the late 19th century with the discovery of diamonds in the region. In 1867, a young boy named Erasmus Jacobs found a small white pebble on the banks of the Orange River, near the town of Hopetown.

Akon Sources All His Bling From a Diamond Mine in South Africa …

When asked where he gets such unique and extravagant diamond jewelry, though, Akon revealed that he owns his very own diamond mine in South Africa. Surprisingly, considering the negative ethical ...

The 10 Largest Diamond Mines In The World

Located 80km from Musina in the South African province of Limpopo, the Venetia diamond mine holds over 92.4 million metric tons of diamond reserves as of December 2018. The greenfield mine using surface …

The Diamond Fields of the Northern Cape

Admire the 616, the world's biggest diamond crystal, at the r eal di amond d isplay. See the old mining machines in the p ulsator b uilding. Experience the mining conditions of yesteryear in the u nderground m ine-a recreated mine shaft. Then head on down to the o ld t own, with its preserved and restored period buildings. Round off a memorable ...

Where are Diamonds Found? Spotlight on South …

How South African Diamonds Changed Diamond History. The South African diamond rush changed two things: 1. The world's supply of diamonds 2. How diamonds are found. Within a decade after diamonds were …

Diamond in South Africa

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 3.61% between 2023 and 2027.

History of Diamonds

THE HISTORY OF DIAMOND MINING AND DIAMONDS IN SOUTH AFRICA. The 1867 discovery of diamonds in the Cape Colony, South Africa, radically modified not only the world's …

South Africa

South Africa - Gold Mining, Economy, History: Prospectors established in 1886 the existence of a belt of gold-bearing reefs 40 miles (60 km) wide centered on present-day Johannesburg. The rapid growth of the gold-mining industry intensified processes started by the diamond boom: immigration, urbanization, capital investment, and labor migrancy.

Finsch

In operation since 1967, Finsch is one of the world's most significant diamond mines and South Africa's second largest diamond operation by production. The mine benefits from state-of-the-art mining infrastructure, including a modern processing plant – having gone underground in 1990.

Brief history of diamond mining in South Africa

The Cullinan diamond is discovered at the Premier mine. At 3,106.75ct, it is the largest rough diamond ever found. The Premier mine is later renamed the Cullinan mine. The Cullinan …

South African miners trapped underground: What you need …

Illegal mining for gold, diamonds or other minerals is deeply widespread in South Africa, and has gone on for decades, with about 30,000 people involved by 2019.

Diamond Mining Methods | Diamond Museum Cape Town

The first diamonds discovered in South Africa were from alluvial deposits. Today, industrial alluvial mining involves building a large wall to collect the water in one area. Diamonds are often found in the gravel layer, which collects under layers of other material, such …

Where diamonds are found and mined in South …

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 first diamonds were found at the future site of the Big Hole on …

Venetia: A new era for South Africa's flagship …

Venetia is synonymous with the South African diamond mining industry. Located in Limpopo, it started production in 1992. Until it ceased open-pit operations at the end of 2022, it contributed 40 % of the country's annual …

Famous Diamonds

Weighing 137.02 carats, the Premier Rose is one of the largest D-colour flawless diamonds in the world. In March 1978 the Premier Mine in South Africa, the mine that produced the 1,306 carat Cullinan Diamond, yielded yet another remarkable diamond, triangular-shaped cleavage of the finest colour, weighing 353.9 carats.

South Africa – De Beers Group

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 are contractors. …

How A South African Town Became Buried in Sludge After A Diamond Mine …

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.

A history of mining in South Africa

M M ining in South Africa has been a contentious issue since 15-year-old Erasmus Stephanus Jacobs discovered South Africa's first diamond, the Eureka, in Hopetown in 1867. It kickstarted what historians call the Mineral Revolution, which made few European opportunists wealthy beyond measure, and saw hundreds of thousands of men leaving their homes to become …

South Africa Diamond Mines Map

The Venetia Mine, which opened in 1992, is currently the largest diamond-producing mine in South Africa, producing over 4 million carats annually. The Finsch Mine, which has been …

All About the Kimberley Diamond Mine in South …

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 yielded some of the world's largest diamonds and made the …

Cullinan Diamond Mine Tour 2024

Go underground to learn about South Africa's diamond train on this full-day tour of the Cullinan Diamond Mine. Explore the mine with a guide, learning about the process and methods of diamond mining as well as some of the remarkable gemstones that have been found in the mine. After your guided tour, you'll have some time to hit the gift shop to take home some diamonds …

The Big Hole Official Site | Tourist Attractions in Kimberley

Welcome to Kimberley, Northern Cape in the Republic of South Africa. The diamond-mining center of the south of the continent offers something for everybody. Whether you are into outdoor activities or a history buff there are many tourist attractions in Kimberley you can visit.

Premier Diamond Mine Near Pretoria, South Africa

The Premier Diamond Mine, located near Pretoria, South Africa, was first discovered in 1902 by Sir Thomas Cullinan. It is known for its large production output of diamonds. The mine …

Big Hole | Description, Location, History, & Facts

Big Hole, a large, defunct, open-pit diamond mine located in present-day Kimberley, South Africa.Considered to be the largest hand-excavated hole in the world and one of the deepest, it has a circumference of about 1 mile (1.6 km) …

South Africa

South Africa - Diamonds, Gold, Imperialism: South Africa experienced a transformation between 1870, when the diamond rush to Kimberley began, and 1902, when the South African War ended. Midway between these …

Cullinan Diamond Mine, Gauteng, South Africa

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.

Premier Diamond Mine Near Pretoria, South Africa

The Premier Diamond Mine, located near Pretoria, South Africa, was first discovered in 1902 by Sir Thomas Cullinan. It is known for its large production output of diamonds. The mine operates underground workings that cover an area of 31.57 hectares (78.00 acres), and …