Koingnaas Diamond Mine

Producer in Eastern Cape, South Africa with commodity Diamond
Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Alteration
  7. Host and associated rocks
  8. Nearby scientific data
  9. Geologic structures
  10. Ore body information
  11. Controls for ore emplacement
  12. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  13. Mining district
  14. Land status
  15. Ownership information
  16. Production statistics
  17. Links to other databases
  18. Bibliographic references
  19. General comments
  20. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10080048
MRDS ID W030999
Record type Site
Current site name Koingnaas Diamond Mine

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 17.0516, -29.57993 (WGS84)
Relative position 100 KILOMETERS SOUTH OF PORT NOLLOTH ON WEST COAST OF SOUTH AFRICA

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Eastern Cape(province)

South Africa(country)

Africa(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
South Africa Eastern Cape

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Diamond Primary

Alteration

  • (Local) None

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Unconsolidated Deposit > Sand and Gravel
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Pliocene
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Limestone

Nearby scientific data

(1) 17.0516, -29.57993

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Tertiary To Recent Beach Sands; Unconsolidated
Type of structure Local
Structure description Diamondiferous Terraces In Tertiary Beach Sands

Ore body information

  • General form IRREGULAR BLANKET

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Beach Sands With Concentrations Of Transported And Redeposited Diamonds

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Non-metallic
Deposit size Medium
Significant No
Discovery year 1962

Mining district

District name Namaqualand

Land status

Ownership category State

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Koingnaas Diamond Mine
  • Type Owner
    Owner De Beers Consolidated Mines

Production statistics

  • Year 1980
    Material DIA
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^41.52 Carats/100 Tons
  • Year 1980
    Material ORE DIA
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^34.49 Carats/100 Met Ton Sand
  • Year 1984
    Period 1979-1984
    Material ORE DIA
    Description Cp_Grade: ^41.52 Carats/100 Tons

Comments on the production information

  • PRODUCTION CONSISTED OF 337,000 TONS OF WASHED AND SCREENED GRAVELS FROM THE MITCHELLS BAY PLANT AND 1,466,000 TONS OF ORE FROM THE KOINGNAAS MINES. ; PRODUCTION CONSISTED OF 333,000 TONS OF WASHED AND SREENED GRAVELS FROM THE MITCHELLS BAY PLANT AND 1,461,000 TONS- OF RUN-OF-MINE ORE FROM THE KOINGNAAS MINE. ; THIS PRODUCTION IS INCLUDED IN RECORD WO NAMAQUALAND DIVISON MINES ; THIS PRODUCTION IS INCLUDED IN RECORD WO NAMAQUALAND DIVISION MINES

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • LIFE OF MINE IS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 15 YEARS.

Comments on the workings information

  • OPEN PIT MINING. PITS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 150 METERS SEAWARD OF HIGH TIDE LEVEL AND ABOUT 20 - 30 METERS BELOW IT. OVERBURDEN IS USED TO PROVIDE SEAWALLS, AND WASTE WATER IS PUMPED TO INLAND SLIMES DAM.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    PELLITIER, R.A., 1964, MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH-CENTRAL AFRICA

  • Deposit

    WILSON, A.N., 1971, INTERNATIONAL DIAMOND ANNUAL, VOL. 1.

  • Deposit

    1968 RECON DE BEERS CORPORATION

  • Deposit

    1976 DIREXPL DE BEERS CORPORATION

  • Production

    DE BEERS ANNUAL REPORTS, 1978, 1979, 1980 ; DE BEERS ANNUAL REPORT-1986 ; DE BEERS ANNUAL REPORT-1983 ; DE BEERS ANNUAL REPORT - 1984 ; DE BEERS ANNUAL REPORT - 1985 ; DE BEERS ANNUAL REPORT - 1982 ; DE BEERS ANNUAL REPORT 1981

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit ALLUVIAL DEPOSIT LOCATED ON DIAMOND-BEARING MATERIAL INTERSPERSED WITH CLAY BANDS. STONES ARE SMALL IN SIZE, BUT OF GOOD QUALITY.
Deposit FROM 1981, DE BEERS NOT REPORTING INDIVIDUAL MINE PRODUCTION FROM ITS ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS. THEREFORE, AS OF 1981, THE ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS PRODUCTION (INCLUDING THIS MINE) WILL BE GROUPED,INTO ONE RECORD UNDER THE NAME OF 'NAMAQUALAND DIVISION MINES'
Deposit INFORMATION MERGED FROM RECORD NUMBER W033024 ; W033155 ; W033156 ; W033834 ; W044581 ; W055331

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-JAN-1981 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1985 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-JUN-1984 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1983 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1982 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1985 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-MAY-1986 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1987 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.