South African Diamonds

South African Diamonds South Africa is currently the world's fifth largest producer of natural diamonds. In 1995, some 9,8 million carats of rough diamonds were produced. A high percentage of these diamonds was of gem and near-gem quality. Diamonds occur in pipes and fissures of kimberlite, as well as in alluvial and marine deposits. Pipes of kimberlite are commonly circular in shape, and become smaller with increasing depth. The well-known Premier Pipe, at Cullinan in Gauteng, the …

…Employment in the local cutting industry declined from 5 000 in the mid-eighties to over 3 800 workers in 1989 to about 1 500 in 1995. The South African Diamond Workers Union (SADWU) attributes it also to the world recession in the diamond industry and the abuse of the old decentralisation incentives. According to Diamond Board estimates, the local cutting industry cut about 571 000 carats in 1995. Morokweng, run by Mr MacDonald Temane, is the first black-owned diamond cutting and polishing company in South Africa.