Debswana Diamond Company (Pty) Ltd is a joint venture between De Beers and the Government of Botswana and is the Group’s major producer.
Blackie Marole, Managing Director
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The main purpose of the company is to mine and recover diamonds. Although Debswana uses the most up-to-date technology to carry out its business, it is the people it employs, and the skills they bring, that make Debswana a successful operation.
In 2006, the company broke its own diamond production record by producing 34.3 million carats. In 2007 diamond production was comparable with 33.6 million carats.
Debswana's mining operations have been largely responsible for transforming Botswana from an agricultural-based economy in the 1960s to a country that has consistently displayed one of the highest economic growth rates in the world.
The company is Botswana’s largest non-government employer, and produces over 70% of the country’s export earnings, 30% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 50% of government revenue.
Debswana is the world's largest diamond producer by value, with mining operations at Jwaneng, Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa. All of these mines use open-pit mining methods to extract their diamonds.
Jwaneng is the richest diamond mine in the world while the Orapa pipe is the world's second largest diamond-producing kimberlite pipe.
In May 2006, the Government of the Republic of Botswana (GRB) and De Beers also established DTC Botswana (a 50:50 joint venture between the GRB and De Beers).
In addition to sorting and valuing Debswana’s production, the purpose of DTC Botswana is to make aggregated diamonds available for sale in Botswana for local manufacturing. This will support the GRB’s economic imperative to drive job and value creation from the country’s diamond resources.
It is expected that by the end of the decade over US$550 million per annum of rough diamonds will be supplied to the local manufacturing industry in Botswana.
DTC Botswana will sort and value in excess of 30 million carats in any one year, making it the largest, most sophisticated sorting facility in the world.
It is envisaged that DTC Botswana will be the primary vehicle for creating a sustainable and profitable downstream industry in Botswana that will:
Provide maximum long term value from diamonds to the country through world class sorting, valuing, selling and marketing practices in Botswana
Maintain and develop employment opportunities in Botswana
Support the development of new skills and capabilities are created amongst Botswana’s citizens (3000 jobs envisaged by 2010)
Be a potential catalyst for other international businesses to invest in Botswana