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Renowned as the most valuable diamond mine on the planet, the Jwaneng Diamond Mine is currently estimated to be worth approximately 1 billion euros.
Overview of Jwaneng Diamond Mine
Often referred to as the “Prince of Mines,” the Jwaneng Diamond Mine is located in Botswana, near the fringe of the Kalahari Desert. It lies within an ancient volcanic crater about 170 kilometers southwest of the country’s capital, Gaborone.
Operated by Debswana—a collaborative venture between global diamond giant De Beers and the Government of Botswana—Jwaneng is recognized as the richest diamond mine worldwide in terms of value. The name “Jwaneng” translates to “a place of gems” in the Setswana language, fittingly describing its location atop a kimberlite pipe, a geological formation that channels diamonds from the Earth’s mantle to the surface.
The site was discovered by De Beers in the 1970s and has been in operation since 1982. Since then, the mine has yielded millions of carats of diamonds, primarily extracted from three main kimberlite pipes. In 2023 alone, the mine produced 13.3 million carats, reinforcing its status as the globe’s most valuable diamond source with an estimated valuation of £1 billion.
Jwaneng has significantly contributed to Botswana’s economic growth, with cumulative revenues surpassing $96 billion since the beginning of its operations. The mining process at Jwaneng is highly sophisticated—large drills are used to break the rock, which is then hauled by trucks to a processing facility. Advanced sorting technologies, including X-ray and laser-based systems, are used to separate diamonds from ore.
The mine has also been a pioneer in environmental responsibility in Botswana, becoming the first in the nation to achieve ISO 14001 certification for its environmentally conscious practices.