Botswana’s leading diamond producer Debswana is aiming to invest some BWP 65 billion (US$6 billion) with the aim to build an underground diamond mine in Jwaneng, in the country’s southern part.
The designed mine is to have a production capacity of about 9 million carats per year, according to the information obtained by South Afri-can daily Business Day.
“We are still doing the studies toward transforming to an underground producer, which is a very different environment, with different capa-bilities and mindset,” said Thabo Balopi, the head of transformation and innovation at Debswana.
Set up in 1969, Debswana is jointly owned by the government of Bot-swana and De Beers Group, which each hold a 50 percent stake in the diamond business. Debswana runs four diamond mines located in Orapa, Letlhakane, Damtshaa and Jwaneng.