The Orapa diamond mine in Botswana, located 240 kilometers west of Francistown, is the largest diamond mine in the world, comprising two kimberlites with a surface area of 1.18 square kilometers.
Orapa (the name means “resting place for lions”) is the oldest of Debswana’s four diamond mines. De Beers geologists, led by the late Dr. Gavin Lamont, first discovered the Orapa kimberlites in 1967 as part of a diamond prospecting mission. In 1968, Debswana – the joint diamond production venture between De Beers and the Botswana government – was founded. The Orapa mine began operating in July 1971.
The mine is an open pit and operates seven days a week, producing 20 million tons of ore per year. In addition, Orapa’s processing plant processes ore from Debswana’s Letlhakane and Damtshaa diamond mines.
In 1999, the mine underwent an expansion that allowed it to double its production capacity. According to the De Beers Group website, in 2010 Orapa produced 9.528 million carats of rough diamonds.
The Orapa mine operation includes a 100-bed hospital and provides preschool and elementary schooling for mine workers’ children.
