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Botswana

Jwaneng Mine

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Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Diamond
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotJwaneng Mine is one of the richest diamond mines in the world.

The scope of the Jwaneng Resource Extension Project (JREP) involves the delivery of an indicated resource estimate down to 850m below surface, which will then support mining operations for the next 20 years including all key expansion activities such as the Cut 8 and Cut 9 projects. The $2 billion (100% basis) Cut-9 expansion of Jwaneng extends the life of the mine to 2036 and is expected to deliver c. 9 million carats per annum (100% basis) of rough diamonds.

In January 2024, was announced approval of the investment for a key development phase of the Jwaneng underground project, paving the way for one of the world’s most valuable diamond mine to transition from open pit to underground operations.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Anglo American plc. 42.5 % Indirect
Government of the Republic of Botswana (GRB) 57.5 % Indirect
Debswana Diamond Company (Pty) Ltd (operator) 100 % Direct
Jwaneng Mine is owned and operated by Debswana Diamond Company (Pty) Ltd (Debswana).

Debswana is a joint venture between the government of Botswana and the South African diamond company De Beers; each party owns 50% of the company.

Anglo American owns 85% of De Beers Group, the world's leading diamond company. The remaining 15% is owned by the Government of the Republic of Botswana (GRB). De Beers Group and its partners produce around one third of the world's rough diamonds, by value.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Kimberlite

Summary:

The geological environment at Jwaneng Mine in Botswana is characterized by a complex faulting system that preceded the emplacement of kimberlite into the Transvaal sedimentary sequence.

Jwaneng mine is located in a region that forms part of the semi arid eastern Kalahari Desert in south – central Botswana with most of the area being covered by thick (50 to 80m) superficial deposits.

The Jwaneng D/K2 kimberlite was emplaced as part of a cluster of 11 other kimberlites, with late Permian (280–225 Ma) emplacement ages. The country rock geology of Jwaneng mine is sub-divided into three major packages: Archaean basement; the Transvaal Supergroup, which can be sub-divided into local equivalents of the Pretoria Group sediments, unconformably underlain by the Malmani Dolomite; and a 55–60 m cover of sand and calcrete of the Kalahari Group. The pipes have been emplaced on deep-seated faults, which have in the past also acted as conduits for the emplacement of post-Transvaal-age diabase dykes. The basement in the region is dominated by Archaean amphibolitebearing granite-gneiss and tonalite.

The mine extracts from the diamond-bearing kimberlite complex, consisting of three main pipes, known as the D/K2 kimberlite. D/K2 is a monogenetic trilobate kimberlite complex that coalesced at surface, forming a footprint at the pre-Kalahari erosional surface. It consists of several texturally distinct phases of kimberlite, which range from volcaniclastic kimberlite to pyroclastic kimberlite. The age relationships of the D/K2 kimberlite pipes have been interpreted from cross-cutting relationships. The oldest is the South, followed by the Centre and North lobes. A smaller fourth pipe is located adjacent to these three pipes, as well as the larger bilobate D/K7 pipe further to the south east. The latter has not been mined.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Production

CommodityUnits202320222021202020192018201720162015
Diamond k carats  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe12,46211,89611,85711,9759,764
All production numbers are expressed as mineral.

Operational metrics

Metrics20222021202020192015
Waste  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe65.6 Mt
Total tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe84.3 Mt115,841,000 t
Tonnes processed  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe10.4 Mt7,870,000 t

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 19, 2024
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....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 19, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 19, 2024

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
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...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2015
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Aerial view:

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