Key Points
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Venetia Diamond Mine shifts from open-pit to underground operations to boost safety and extend its lifespan.
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De Beers invests $2.3 billion to create South Africa’s largest underground diamond mine.
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The project drives local jobs, renewable energy use, and community development in Limpopo.
Deep beneath the dusty plains of Limpopo, the Venetia Diamond Mine is entering a new era. Once an open-pit operation, it now runs entirely underground. The move marks a major milestone for De Beers and South Africa’s diamond industry.
The $2.3 billion project turned Venetia into the largest underground diamond mine in the country. It’s expected to produce 4.5 million carats each year until 2049.
The operation runs through tunnels stretching almost a kilometer deep, with heavy shafts moving workers and ore. Advanced systems now drive safety, automation, and sustainability.
Venetia’s General Manager, Ntokozo Ngema, said the transition is about working smarter, not just deeper. “Safety and efficiency are our core focus,” he told Mining Weekly.
The mine has logged more than 13 million fatality-free shifts. That record shows its strong commitment to protecting workers underground.
De Beers’ last diamond stronghold in South Africa
Venetia now stands as De Beers’ only remaining diamond mine in South Africa. The site, about 32 kilometers south of the Limpopo River, has led national production since 1995.
Mining began in 1992 as an open-pit venture that yielded 143 million carats in 30 years. The underground shift started in 2023 and will keep operations running for another quarter century.
Two major kimberlite orebodies, K01 and K02, stretch over 1,000 meters below ground. Together, they’ll deliver six million tonnes of ore each year, producing about four million carats of diamonds.
Smarter systems and safer design
The mine uses a sublevel caving method that lets rock collapse naturally after blasting.
To protect workers and machinery, engineers installed huge flood control doors weighing up to 60 tonnes.
Automation plays a major role. Venetia’s Integrated Operations Centre tracks everything from vehicle movement to air quality. Real-time data also monitors driver fatigue, weather changes, and gas levels after blasting.
“We’re building one of the safest, most intelligent mines in the world,” said Jan Nel, General Manager for Underground and Projects.
Sustainability and community impact
Venetia’s focus reaches beyond diamonds. Its Building Forever program funds projects in Musina and Blouberg that improve schools, healthcare, and job access.
By 2030, Venetia plans to create five external jobs for every one onsite. Ngema said the mine already hit that goal through agriculture, tourism, and entrepreneurship.
A new partnership with Sasol aims to turn invasive plants into biofuel and charcoal, creating more local jobs.
Environmental care remains central to the operation. The Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve, covering 36,000 hectares, shelters plants and animals moved from the mining area.
The reserve shares a boundary with Mapungubwe National Park, showing the mine’s effort to balance growth with conservation.
Greener energy for a long future
To reduce emissions, Venetia will soon draw renewable power from Envusa Energy, a joint venture between Anglo American and EDF Renewables.
The partnership aims to cut the mine’s carbon footprint and build a cleaner energy network across the region.
A South African success story
From its open-pit beginnings to its high-tech underground systems, Venetia reflects South Africa’s resilience and innovation.
The mine blends engineering, sustainability, and community development. Its journey shows that the country’s diamond story continues to evolve.
As Ngema put it, “The diamonds we produce may sparkle, but the real shine comes from what we’re building for the people and the land around us.”
