Category:Diamond mines in Lesotho: Difference between revisions
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Lesotho has long been known as a source of diamonds, mostly from alluvial deposits, and was seeing a revival of its diamond mining industry. The Lesotho Geological Survey has identified 33 kimberlite pipes and 140 dikes, of which 24 were diamondiferous. <ref>http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Lesotho-MINING.html#ixzz0lZGAMblU</ref> |
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The Lets'eng ("swamp in the corner") kimberlite mine is known for producing some of the world's largest rough diamonds. It has produced three of the world's top twenty rough diamonds in the past three years. These include the 603 carat Lesotho Promise in August 2006, the 493 carat Letšeng Legacy in September 2007 and the 478 carat Leseli La Letšeng in September 2008. Letseng is situated at 3,100 meters, in the mountainous highlands of the kingdom of Lesotho, in the Maluti Mountain range in Mokhotlong district in Northern Lesotho. The mine employs over 800 people. <ref>http://www.commonwealth-of-nations.org/Lesotho/Minerals/Let%C5%A1eng_Diamonds/welcome</ref> The Letseng mine is operated by Gem Diamonds Limited of the United Kingdom and 30% of the ownership belongs to the Government of Lesotho. <ref>www.letsengdiamonds.co.ls</ref>The mine was operated by De Beers from 1977 to 1982 but transfered to the Kingdom of Lesotho with a 70% ownership stake by Gem Diamonds Ltd. |
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Kao Diamond Mine (Pty) Ltd started production in November 2007. It was taken over by Nakakwa Batla Diamonds Pty Ltd (NBDL) in December 2009. Namakwa Batla Diamonds is a Lesotho based company and a joint venture between Namakwa Diamonds and Batla Minerals with 62.5 percent, Lesotho investors with 12.5 percent and the Lesotho government, 25 percent. The company intends to develop Kao from its current internal resources and management anticipates 10 Metric tons of kimberlite being processed for the recovery of 700,000 carats, over a five year period. The company further plans to ramp up production to five Metric tons per annum with an expected life of mine in excess of 40 years. Kao's main kimberlite pipe is the largest in Lesotho and the fourth largest in Southern Africa at 19.8 hectares. It is situated at an altitude of 2,500m approximately 200 kilometres north of Maseru. It lies within a 20 kilometre radius of the diamond producing Lets'eng and Liqhobong Mines. Resources for the Kao Pipe total 173 million tons containing an estimated 12.4 million carats. <ref>http://www.lesotho.gov.ls/articles/2010/HOPE_FOR_KAO.php<ref></ref></ref> |
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In addition, Liqhobong (in Butha-Buthe) and Mothae (in Mokhotlong) kimberlite pipes have been identified diamondiferous. |
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Revision as of 17:29, 19 April 2010
Lesotho has long been known as a source of diamonds, mostly from alluvial deposits, and was seeing a revival of its diamond mining industry. The Lesotho Geological Survey has identified 33 kimberlite pipes and 140 dikes, of which 24 were diamondiferous. [1]
The Lets'eng ("swamp in the corner") kimberlite mine is known for producing some of the world's largest rough diamonds. It has produced three of the world's top twenty rough diamonds in the past three years. These include the 603 carat Lesotho Promise in August 2006, the 493 carat Letšeng Legacy in September 2007 and the 478 carat Leseli La Letšeng in September 2008. Letseng is situated at 3,100 meters, in the mountainous highlands of the kingdom of Lesotho, in the Maluti Mountain range in Mokhotlong district in Northern Lesotho. The mine employs over 800 people. [2] The Letseng mine is operated by Gem Diamonds Limited of the United Kingdom and 30% of the ownership belongs to the Government of Lesotho. [3]The mine was operated by De Beers from 1977 to 1982 but transfered to the Kingdom of Lesotho with a 70% ownership stake by Gem Diamonds Ltd.
Kao Diamond Mine (Pty) Ltd started production in November 2007. It was taken over by Nakakwa Batla Diamonds Pty Ltd (NBDL) in December 2009. Namakwa Batla Diamonds is a Lesotho based company and a joint venture between Namakwa Diamonds and Batla Minerals with 62.5 percent, Lesotho investors with 12.5 percent and the Lesotho government, 25 percent. The company intends to develop Kao from its current internal resources and management anticipates 10 Metric tons of kimberlite being processed for the recovery of 700,000 carats, over a five year period. The company further plans to ramp up production to five Metric tons per annum with an expected life of mine in excess of 40 years. Kao's main kimberlite pipe is the largest in Lesotho and the fourth largest in Southern Africa at 19.8 hectares. It is situated at an altitude of 2,500m approximately 200 kilometres north of Maseru. It lies within a 20 kilometre radius of the diamond producing Lets'eng and Liqhobong Mines. Resources for the Kao Pipe total 173 million tons containing an estimated 12.4 million carats. Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).</ref>
In addition, Liqhobong (in Butha-Buthe) and Mothae (in Mokhotlong) kimberlite pipes have been identified diamondiferous.
Pages in category "Diamond mines in Lesotho"
The following 2 pages are in this category, out of 2 total. This list may not reflect recent changes.