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 regional geology comprises a depositional sequence of dolomites, shales and quartzites laid down in Proterozoic times. Dolomites are well known karstified aquifer systems in Botswana and South Africa and it is for this reason that the initial conceptual hydrogeological model assumed them to be potentially water bearing and hence required investigations for active dewatering as mining progressed deeper. In the vicinity of the mine, the strata dip 20-40 towards the northwest and the sequence is broken up by extensional shears, thrusts and steep block faults.

The Jwaneng orebody itself comprises three kimberlite pipes (and a fourth minor kimberlite intrusion) that have intruded the host rocks along the predominant NE-SW trending steep fault orientation.

Jwaneng is an open pit mine, using traditional truck and shovel methods.

Jwaneng Mine Pit:
• 1.4km width
• 2km length
• ˜410m deep.

The Jwaneng Aquarium plant houses two classes of technology, CARP (Completely Automated Recovery Plant) and FISH (Fully Integrated Sort House).

The new Aquarium processes uses proven state-of-the art technology to recover diamonds using X-ray and laser sorting technology.

CARP
Dense Medium Separation (DMS) concentrate from both the recrush plant and the main treatment plant is stored in each plant’s respective 240 tons head feed bin, from where it is transferred by a belt weigh-feeder into a dewatering screen. The dust fraction from the dewatering screen is removed through the effluent system while the oversize fraction is recycled to the recrush plant through a sicon conveyor. The old recovery tailings go through a similar feed preparation stage. The concentrate from the de-watering screen is transferred into two pneumo dryers in series.

The material is stored in a 1.5 ton X-ray machine feed bin. The material is then gravity fed into a primary b ........