Editor’s Note
This article traces the shifting geography of diamond production, from its ancient origins in India to the modern centers of extraction in Africa and beyond. It highlights how the pursuit of this precious resource has moved across continents over centuries.
The story of diamonds begins in India. For a long time, the Asian giant was the world’s sole diamond producer until its deposits were exhausted in the 18th century. Other states then took over. Since the 19th century, the majority of high-quality diamonds have been discovered on the African continent. Botswana, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are among the richest.
On other continents, countries quickly joined the movement, such as Russia, the world’s leading producer.
The main diamond-producing countries are Russia, Botswana, Canada, Australia, and Angola.
According to Statista, Russia was one of the largest diamond extractors in 2021, with 15 million carats. These precious stones are extracted in the vast region of Siberia under extreme conditions and temperatures. The Mir mine (“peace” in Russian), with a diameter of 12,000 meters, is one of the largest in the world. After being closed in 2001, it is now operated by the company Alrosa. A Russian flagship, it is the largest diamond production company in the country. The war in Ukraine has had repercussions on the diamond sector. The US administration, led by Joe Biden, banned imports of Russian diamonds on March 11, 2022. However, the country can continue to sell its stocks thanks to its relays in India and Israel.
The small African country extracted 6 million carats according to Statista in 2019, consequently placing it in the top 5 of the world’s largest diamond producers. The Jwaneng open-pit mine, discovered in 1972, is owned by the company Debswana, established through a partnership between De Beers and the Botswana government.
Canada does not have a long tradition of diamond mining. In this large North American country, regions rich in stones were not commercially exploited before the early 1990s. Before this period, only indigenous communities knew of the existence of these jewels.
Now, Canadian diamonds play an important role on the world market. Canada ranks as the world’s third-largest producer according to the Collectif Diamant, which brings together the reference organizations of the diamond sector in France.
In the precious stones sector, Australia also holds its own. One mine was particularly profitable: Argyle located in the Kimberley East region in the far north of Western Australia. It became famous in the 80s when pink diamonds were discovered there. It produced more than 90% of the world’s supply.
Furthermore, it supplied a large part of other natural-colored diamonds, champagne, cognac, and rare blue diamonds. The Argyle mine closed on November 3, 2020, following the depletion of deposits. Its dismantling is expected to take five to ten years.
Angola is a heavyweight when it comes to diamonds. The Central African country produced 3.1 million carats of diamonds (620 kg) from January to April 2021, according to the economic daily La Tribune.
Political instability long prevented an accurate assessment of potential reserves. The majority (75%) of Angola’s diamond production comes from the Catoca open-pit mine, owned by a consortium that includes the Russian Alrosa and the national diamond company, Endiama.
