Johannesburg, South Africa
Venetia mine opened in 1992, and contributes 40 per cent of the country's annual diamond production. It is in the Northern Transvaal, 32km south of the Limpopo River in the Limpopo Province in the north-east corner of South Africa. Diamond-bearing gravels were discovered as early as 1903 close to the Limpopo River, 35km north-east of the present mine. De Beers Group began a sampling programme in 1969 to locate the source of these alluvial diamonds. Viable kimberlite pipes were discovered in 1980. Work on the mine started in 1990 and full production was achieved in 1993. Open-pit operations at Venetia have ended and the mine is transitioning to underground mining, which is expected to extend the life of the mine to the mid-2040s and provide an estimated 88 million carats. Excavation work for the US$2 billion underground extension got under way in 2013, the year De Beers Group celebrated its 125th anniversary...