De Beers Launches South African Marine Diamond Mining Vessel

De Beers’ first South African diamond mining vessel will set sail this week for South Africa’s Namaqualand coast where it is expected to produce 240,000 carats annually from a new offshore mining area.

The 176-meter vessel, named Peace in Africa, cost $142 million. It is equipped with an undersea tracked mining tool called a crawler, and carries a specialized diamond recovery plant. Project Manager Glenn Back called the ship “a landmark achievement”.

De Beers Consolidated Mines has already used enhanced crawler technology to mine an 800,000 square meter area off the South African coast. The technology enables faster mining and 3D visualization of the seabed and mining operations.

The mining project is deemed exceptional because of its 0.1 carat per square meter. In addition, 95 percent of the diamonds to be mined off the coast are expected to be of gem quality.

If the project proves successful, De Beers will consider expanding its diamond mining fleet, said Back. Peace in Africa is expected to mine 0.5 percent of the mining area over a mine life of 30 years.

De Beers is also “excited” to be contributing to the upliftment and employment of residents of South Africa’s Northern Cape province, said Back.