EXPLORING FOR DIAMONDS AND THE NORTH — Botswana home to

The world’s richest mine is in Botswana. A diamond producer, Jwaneng is believed to have made an operating profit of US$700-750 million in 1991, according to Yorkton Securities of London, England.

Jwaneng, in production for 11 years, has enough open-pit reserves for 50 or more years of operation, before it will be necessary to mine underground. Botswana has two other producing diamond mines, Letlhakane and Orapa. Jwaneng’s gem content is an estimated 35%, more than double that of the second-largest producer, Orapa.