BOTSWANA DIAMONDS

traceable gia-certified diamonds

We’re delighted to announce that we now have access to over $ 10 million worth of diamonds in all shapes and sizes, all mined in Botswana and with origin and grading reports from the GIA. Botswana Mark diamonds launched in 2022 and source diamonds exclusively mined in Botswana and cut in Botswana and India.

Botswana is the poster child for diamond production in Africa and we’re delighted to be able to offer these diamonds for sale, knowing that they are contributing to positive development in Botswana.

Diamonds in Botswana

Diamonds were first discovered in Botswana in the 1960’s and since then the exploration and exploitation of these natural resources have propelled the country to upper middle income status with one of the highest levels of development and wealth in the whole of Africa.

Most of the diamonds in Botswana are mined by Debswana, a partnership between the government of Botswana and diamond mining giant De Beers, which operates 4 mines in the country.

Several of the most high-profile diamond finds of the last few years have come out of Botswana. In June 2021 a stone weighing 1,098 carats was discovered, believed to have been the 3rd biggest ever found.

This follows the discovery of the second biggest gem-quality diamond ever unearthed in 2015. The 1,111ct stone was recovered from the Karowe mine, about 300 miles north of the capital Gaborone.

6 of the 10 biggest rough diamonds every found have come from Botswana.

Diamond mining in Africa

Several African countries have diamond deposits and the extent to which those deposits have been mined can differ significantly.  South Africa is probably the best-known source of diamonds in Africa however diamonds are also mined in Namibia, Botswana, Tanzania, DRC, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Angola, Zimbabwe and Lesotho.

The history of diamond mining on the continent is long and sadly fraught with tragedy, however today there is a much more positive picture. Diamonds contribute to much more positive development and job creation today than ever before.

We have written extensively about the ethical issues that have impacted the diamond supply chain and you are interested you can read more here and here.

African diamond mines

There are different types of diamond mine in Africa from the large-scale closed cast operations we see in South Africa, Botswana and Tanzania, to marine mining in Namibia and small-scale alluvial mining typical of Sierra Leone, Liberia and the Ivory Coast.

GIA Origin report

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is the leading industry certification body and is responsible for the diamond grading chart that we use to grade diamonds. Since 2020 they have been offering an extra origin report which identifies where the diamond was mined. If a diamond comes with a diamond grading report and not a separate origin report then it is not possible to tell where a diamond has come from.