Finsch mine, Lime Acres, Kgatelopele Local Municipality, ZF Mgcawu District Municipality, Northern Cape, South Africai

Regional Level Types
Finsch mine	Mine
Lime Acres	Town
Kgatelopele Local Municipality	Municipality
ZF Mgcawu District Municipality	District Municipality
Northern Cape	Province
South Africa	Country

Finsch is one of the world’s significant diamond mines and South Africa’s second-largest diamond operation by production (after De Beers’ Venetia mine).

Located 2 km from Lime Acres.

The pipe was discovered in 1960 by two prospectors, Fincham and Schwabel, for whom it was named, while prospecting for asbestos in the Asbestos hills, about 150 km west of Kimberley. They established Finsch Diamonds in 1960, but De Beers gained a controlling interest in the deposit in 1963.

The mine was officially opened in 1967. Ore extraction was initially from the open pit. Sinking of the main shaft to access the mine from underground started in 1978. Two vertical shaft complexes, tunnels and ground handling infrastructure were prepared for the continuing exploitation of the pipe with the use of highly mechanised mining methods. In 2008 the treatment plant was upgraded at a cost of approximately US$100 million. On 14 September 2011, Petra Diamonds purchased Finsch as a fully-staffed, operating mine from De Beers.

Finsch is known for highly commercial goods of +5 carats and is rich in gem-quality smaller diamonds. Large, special diamonds are also a feature of the orebody, with a number of +50 carat stones recovered at the mine annually, and the mine also produces very rare fancy yellow diamonds.

Other Databases

Wikipedia:	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finsch_diamond_mine
Wikidata ID:	Q5450936

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References