Minerals from Botswana
Botswana is the second-largest diamond producer by volume as well as having large reserves of Copper, Silver, and Gold. Mining produces a large percentage of the countries GDP.
In terms of mineral specimens, Diamonds are sometimes sold as specimen pieces but my personal favourite is Botswana Agate, a banded agate that often comes in brown or grey colours mixed with pinks, whites, or creams.
Botswana is well known around the world as a mining powerhouse – in fact, mining contributes 16% of the GDP of the country.
Primary production is of gem quality diamonds, although there are smaller productions of copper, gold, nickel and coal.
Diamonds are actually quite a success story in Botswana, as the country has invested in local cutting, sustainability, education, healthcare and social welfare, massively increasing the standard of living in the country.
They are, of course, never without a downside, with indigenous peoples being moved for mine sites, and mining processes leading to habitat destruction and erosion.
De Beers Group co-owns a company with the government of Botswana, for the extraction of diamonds at four mines:
- Jwaneng diamond mine (second largest diamond mine in the world)
- Orapa diamond mine
- Letlhakane diamond mine
- Damtshaa diamond mine
Disregarding diamonds entirely, my favourite mineral specimens from Botswana are their agates – often contrasting grey, white, and pink banded pieces.
We do have some other specimens from Botswana, sometimes including fossils – check the links below.
Botswana
Minerals from Botswana