Orapa Diamond Mine

The Orapa diamond mine is one of the largest diamond mines in the world by area — the open pit measures roughly 2 km by 1.5 km and descends more than 200 metres below the surface. It was the first major diamond mine to be developed in Botswana after independence, opening in 1971 on the basis of a kimberlite pipe discovery made four years earlier. The mine is operated by Debswana, the joint venture between De Beers and the Botswana government.

Access to the mine and its immediate surroundings requires a permit from Debswana, and the town of Orapa is itself gated and permit-controlled — one of the few genuinely closed company towns still operating in southern Africa. Occasional organised tours are available through the Orapa House museum, which covers the geology of diamond formation, the history of the discovery, and the development of the mine. Contact Debswana in Gaborone well in advance to arrange access.

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A story
When De Beers geologists confirmed the Orapa kimberlite pipe in 1967, Botswana had been independent for only one year and was one of the poorest countries in Africa. The Botswana government negotiated a 50-50 partnership with De Beers rather than simply selling off the concession, a decision that proved transformative. Within two decades the country had moved from near-zero GDP to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and diamond revenues funded schools, hospitals, and infrastructure across the country. Economists sometimes call it the 'Botswana miracle.'

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