10 World’S Leading Diamond Mining Countries

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10 World'S Leading Diamond Mining Countries
10 World'S Leading Diamond Mining Countries

Africa-Press – Botswana. Diamonds are one of the most precious stones, and everyone would want one in their possession. But before they reach our necks or ears as dazzling adornments, they are mined from the depths of the Earth. Diamonds are a result of billions of years of intense heat and pressure, before being brought closer to the surface through volcanic eruptions, where they settle in volcanic pipes known as kimberlite or lamproite. Mining these treasures in no easy task; it involves two primary methods. The first is that open-pit mining extracts diamonds from near-surface deposits, and on the other hand, underground mining delves deep into the Earth to uncover hidden treasures. Advanced technology and sophisticated equipment are required to separate diamonds from tons of rock, which makes this task quite costly. But they add great numbers to the economy of the country too, making them a good investment. Let us take a look at the top 10 diamond mining countries in the world, ranked as per World Population Review.
Russia

As of 2022, Russia is the world’s largest producer of diamonds, mining over 40 million carats annually. It is also the largest exporter in the world. As per the WPR report, the country has about 12 open-pit mines, the most in the world, again most in the world. Russia’s diamond industry is dominated by the state-owned company Alrosa, which is responsible for more than 95% of the country’s diamond output.

Botswana

Botswana ranks as the second-largest diamond producer globally. The diamond industry plays a crucial role in Botswana’s economy, contributing significantly to its GDP and government revenue. The report states that every year, the nation produces more than 20 million diamond carats.

Democratic Republic of Congo

As of 2022, Congo mines 16 million carats of diamonds every year and earns about $135 million. It is the second largest producer of diamonds in Africa and the third-largest producer worldwide.

Australia

Australia has been mining diamonds since the 19th century and is one of the world’s largest producers of diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and jade. However, being the 4th largest producer, the deposits of the country are dwindling due to excessive mining.

Canada

Canada’s diamond mining industry began in the late 1990s after the discovery of major kimberlite deposits in the Northwest Territories, Ontario, and Quebec. Since then many more mines have been found with the most active including- Ekati, Diavik, Victor, and Snap Lake.

South Africa

The discovery of diamonds in South Africa is credited to Erasmus Jacobs. In 1875, he discovered the 21.25 carat Eureka Diamond. This discovery transformed South Africa from an agrarian society into an industrial economy. The country produces about 7 million carats every year.

Angola

Angola is the fourth largest diamond producer in Africa and the sixth globally. In 2023, Angola produced 9.8 million carats, and expects to produce up to 14.6 million carats in 2024. After the Civil War in 2002, the diamond mining industry helped rebuild the country’s economy.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s diamond mining industry revolves around the Marange diamond fields, located in Chiadzwa within the Mutare District. Renowned as one of the largest diamond deposits globally, the Marange fields also hold the distinction of being the world’s leading diamond-producing project by carat volume.

Namibia

Diamond mining in Naimbia is is a 50:50 joint venture between the Namibian government and De Beers. The first diamonds in Namibia were discovered in 1908 by Zacharia Lewala, a railroad worker near Lüderitz. This discovery led to a diamond rush and Namibia became a leading diamond nation.

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