Orapa

Overview

Orapa is the diamond capital of Botswana. Diamonds were discovered in Botswana just over thirty years ago. De Beer geologists discovered the first diamonds in 1967 in Orapa, only a year after Botswana�s Independence.

The mine was developed rapidly and by 1971, the mine was completed and production had begun. It was due to the discovery of diamonds here that Botswana not only has the strongest African currency but is also one of the wealthiest and most stable countries in Africa. There are plans for the Orapa mine to double its production by the year 2000, and it is already one of largest single diamond mining projects to be undertaken anywhere in the world.

History