Mining Intelligence and News
Botswana

Damtshaa Mine

Click for more information

Categories

Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusCare and Maintenance
Commodities
  • Diamond
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotThe mine was placed on care and maintenance at the end of the first quarter of 2021. Studies are under way to determine the optimal future business strategy.
Related AssetOrapa Operation

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
Anglo American owns 85% of De Beers, the world’s leading diamond company. The remaining 15% of De Beers is owned by the Government of the Republic of Botswana (GRB).

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

Deposit type

  • Kimberlite

Summary:

Four small diamond pipes (B/K1, B/K9, B/K12 and B/K15) were discovered between 1967 and 1972 in an area 20km east of the Orapa kimberlite pipe. These pipes were grouped to form the Damtshaa Mine, the youngest of the Debswana mines which began operation in 2003, and are managed along with Letlhakane Mine from the Orapa operation. The ore grade for B/K9 and B/K12, the kimberlites currently mined, is about 29 cpht and annual production is a maximum of about 330,000 carats. B/K9, at 11.5 hectares, is the larger of the two mined pipes and has a current area of excavation of about 21 hectares, and a depth below surface of 50m. B/K12 pipe area at surface measures 3.2 hectares and the current area of excavation is 7 hectares, with the pit bottom 63m below ground level.

The kimberlites at Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa are all monogenetic (multi-vent) volcanoes.

Reserves

Lock

- subscription is required.

Mining Methods

Lock

- subscription is required.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

Lock

- subscription is required.

Production

The mine was placed on care and maintenance at the end of the first quarter of 2021.
CommodityUnits202120202015
Diamond carats  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe221,000
All production numbers are expressed as mineral.

Operational metrics

Metrics202120202015
Total tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe6,341,311 t
Tonnes processed  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe1,498,856 t

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jul 29, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jul 29, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jul 29, 2024

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2018
...... Subscription required 2015

Aerial view:

Lock

- subscription is required.