Indian Jewelry » Diamond Mines Angola

Diamond Mining:
Diamonds were discovered in Angola in 1912, which led to the formation of the Angolan Diamond Mining Company - Diamang in 1917. based in the town of Dundo in the north¬east. Diamang had exclusive prospecting rights for diamonds over most of the country until 1971 when it had to limit its area of mining.

Discovery of Kimberlites :
De Beers then moved in and began exploration in areas not held by Diamang. It was successful in discovering over 100 Kimberlite pipes in four years, but none of them proved commercially exploitable.

Independence & Diamang Take over:
The internal situation in the country deteriorated in 1975 following the revolution and independence. The majority of expatriates left Angola including De Beers. Diamang was taken over by the Government. Because the Government was determined to improve production, in 1978 De Beers was invited to return to Angola. Mining & Technical Services (MATS), was set up to run Angolan operations. MATS operated from 1978 to 1985, under difficult conditions.

Attacks by Rebels:
Operations in the Cuango and Andrada regions were attacked by UNITA rebels. De Beers withdrew again in 1985. Consequently, the Angolan State Diamond Mining Company (Endiama) invited foreign companies to help run the diamond mines.
The Cuango operations were contracted to R.S.T. International (a Caterpillar service company); Lucapa to S.P.E. (a Portuguese company) and Endiama continued operating Andrada. But the civil war continued to affect mining operations.

UN Peace Efforts:
Since the signing of the peace agreement, the United Nations Peace Mission in Angola had been trying to get the parties to set up a Government of national unity. This was finally achieved in April, 1997. But hostilities did not subside completely. Throughout the period of conflict between the MPLA and UNITA, De Beers continued to purchase diamonds mined in Angola.

Endiama (Empresa Nacional de Diamantes) Constituted:
An official undertaking Endiama was formed to control the diamond mining activities in Angola on behalf of the Government. But clandestine, illegal digging and thefts continued in Angola which resulted from a law promulgated in 1991, that liberalized diamond possession and trading. The law created the impression that people could mine and trade diamonds freely. This, and the war, led to a chaotic rush in many parts of the Angolan alluvial diamond fields and resulted in unrestrained depletion of the richest deposits. Endiama is gradually formalizing mining by issuing concessions to bonafide mining companies, but the process had been erratic and slow. Officially, the rights to prospecting, reconnaissance, research, mining, treatment and trading of rough diamonds are granted only to companies in which Endiama is a participant as set out by the Government accord.

Productive Diamond Pipes:
The first kimberlite pipe (Camafuca-Camazambo) was discovered in 1952 in the Chicapa River Valley near the town of Calnda.
1. The Camutue Group: This consists of the Caixepa, Camuazanza, Camutue West and East pipes situated along the upper reaches of the Camutue river, about 9 km. East of the town of Lucapa in Lunda Norte.

2. Catoca : The pipe was discovered in 1969 and lies 28 km. north-west of the town of Saurimo. This pipe has a surface area of 65.7 hectares. Diamonds occurring in this pipe re said to be of poor quality.

lmportant Mining Areas in Angola:
1. Nzarge Area (formerly known as Andrada) Situated along the Luembe River, some formal mining is being undertaken by Endiama, a mining company called ITM and Lumanhe known as the Penze Project, formal mining is producing some 300,000 carats per year.

2. Lucapa:
Luachimo River: Formal mining by Sociedade Mineira de Lucapa (SML), Endiama's joint venture with the Portuguese producing about 300,000 carats per year. This is operated by I.T.M. East of Luachima river is allotted to Diamond Works. West bank of Chipaca River: UNITA is mining on a small scale. South of Chipaca River: Diamond Works and Tricorp are mining.

3.Cuango: It is the principal diamond area:
The area lying along the Cuango River has been occupied by UNITA since October 1992, producing some two-thirds of Angola's diamond yield.
Subsequent De Beers exploration of these areas - Angola's Luanda province uncovered three more Kimberlites in that area.