📋 Tender Overview
Scope :
Jwaneng Diamond Mine An underground expansion of the mine is currently ongoing. Jwaneng is an open-pit diamond mine situated in South Central Botswana, approximately 170km south-west of Gaborone. The mine is being expanded to include an underground mining operation. Debaswana, a 50/50 partnership between De Beers Company and the Government of Botswana, owns the mine. It was discovered in 1972 and reached full production in July 1982. The mine was officially inaugurated in August 1982. An underground expansion of the mine is currently ongoing. The Board of Debswana approved a $1bn investment for a key development phase of the underground expansion in January 2024.
Location
The Jwaneng diamond mine is located approximately 170km south-west of Gaborone in the south-central part of Botswana, Southern Africa.
Jwaneng open-pit mine geology and reserves
The Jwaneng open-pit mine consists of Paleoproterozoic-aged sedimentary rocks occurring as a collection of tilted and displaced blocks with dolomites at the base. The resource consists of north, south, and centre volcanic pipes.
Jwaneng is the eighth biggest diamond mine in the world with estimated reserves of 88.3 million carats or 70.1 million tonnes (t) grading 1.26 carats per tonne of diamond as of December 2012. The mine has an average production rate of 12 to 15 million carats per year.
Contractors involved with the Jwaneng mine development
SRK Consultants was awarded the contract for conducting detailed probabilistic stability analysis for the Cut 8 project.
The engineering, procurement, and construction management services contract for installing the mine surface infrastructure was awarded to Fluor, an engineering and construction company. The contractual scope also included the earthworks, civil construction, pilings, structural steel erection, and electrical installation.
Majwe, a joint venture of Leighton Africa, Basil Read Mining and Bothakga Burrow, was awarded the contract for providing mining services for the Cut 8 phase two. The contract services included mine scheduling, drilling and blasting, waste removal, and limited ore mining.
Otraco, a tyre management solutions provider, was awarded the contract for tyre management services.
Construction and mining equipment provider Komatsu provided 16 930E haul trucks and other ancillary machinery for the Jwaneng’s Cut 8 project.
Kentz, an engineering and construction company, was awarded the contract for the procurement, fabrication, erection of structural steel, and cladding for buildings and conveyors.
