The Catoca Diamond Mine is listed as the fourth-largest kimberlite mine in the world. It is located in central-western Angola in the Lunda Sol province, some 55 kilometers from the city of Saurimo. It is the country’s largest diamond mine, covering some 64 hectares.
Kimberlite was discovered at Catoca between 1965 and 1975; production actually began at the mine in 1998, after years of testing and development. Now, Catoca handles about 8 to 10 million tons of ore per year. Studies predict that the mine contains around 300 million tons of ore. Geological testing expects that work can continue at the mine for more than 40 years.
The mine is excavated using the open pit method. Bulldozers and dump trucks excavate and haul ore to a treatment center. There, ore is crushed and diamonds are separated out.
Catoca is operated by a number of companies, including Angola’s state-run mining company, Endiama, which owns 32.8%. Brazilian consortium Odebrecht owns 16.4% of the mine. In 2011, businessman Lev Leviev sold his 18% to China Sonangol. The remaining 32.8% is owned by Russia’s state-owned diamond producer, Alrosa.
In 2010, the Catoca Diamond Mine generated $527 million in revenue, with $111 million of profits. The mine produced 7 million carats of diamonds in the same year.
