Namdeb Diamond Corporation has sustained diamond production for more than three decades by progressively shifting its mining model from traditional land-based extraction to technologically advanced offshore and coastal operations as easily accessible deposits became depleted.
The diamond miner said operational transition, supported by new mining technologies and processing systems, has enabled the company to continue extracting diamonds from one of the world’s most mature diamond provinces along Namibia’s southern coastline.
Speaking at the launch of the book Mining for Good: The Namdeb Story, Chief Executive Officer Riaan Burger said maintaining production over the past 30 years required continuous technological innovation and the development of new mining methods.
The event marked Namdeb’s 30-year milestone, celebrating three decades of operational growth, technological development and economic contribution since the company’s establishment in 1994.
The publication traces the evolution of the diamond mining company since its creation as a 50:50 joint venture between the Government of Namibia and De Beers, highlighting the operational challenges, restructuring and technological shifts that have shaped its development.
“One of the major challenges over the past 30 years has been continuing to mine a resource that has been exploited for more than a century. To sustain production we had to develop entirely new technologies and mining approaches, many of which were designed and implemented by teams in Namibia,” Burger said.
He noted that Namdeb’s early operations relied heavily on land-based mining along the Atlantic coastline. However, as these deposits declined, the company began exploring offshore extraction technologies to access diamond-bearing sediments beneath marine deposits.
Burger said early experimental projects, including the Jet X and Jet Rig platforms, formed part of the company’s initial efforts to move mining activities into offshore environments.
“Early efforts included projects such as the Jet X and the Jet Rig platform as the company began moving mining activities offshore after many land deposits had been exhausted. Some of these projects failed, but the experience helped the company develop new techniques and information that later supported offshore expansion,” he said.
Further technological development allowed the company to expand marine mining operations through accretion mining techniques, enabling diamond-bearing sediments to be recovered from areas several hundred metres offshore.
He said the expansion required specialised monitoring systems, upgraded recovery plants and improved mineral processing infrastructure capable of handling the complex sediment compositions found in offshore deposits.
“Further technological development allowed the company to extend operations into the sea using accretion mining methods. This has enabled mining operations to push several hundred metres into the ocean, supported by new processing facilities, improved monitoring systems and modern recovery plants,” Burger said.
The technological shift forms part of broader investments aimed at improving operational efficiency and sustaining the long-term viability of the company’s coastal mining operations.
Author of the book and Economist, Robin Sherbourne said the publication outlines how Namdeb’s operational trajectory has been shaped by three major periods: the early post-independence phase, restructuring following the Global Financial Crisis and more recent efforts to secure a long-term mining plan.
Erasmus Shivolo, Deputy Executive Director at the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy said the mining industry remains central to Namibia’s economic structure, supporting employment and industrial development across multiple sectors.
He added that the sector is increasingly incorporating cleaner technologies and renewable energy solutions as environmental considerations gain prominence.
“The sector is evolving to address environmental and technological changes, including the integration of renewable energy solutions and cleaner technologies in mining operations,” he said.
The book also reflects on the origins of Namdeb’s partnership model, which emerged during the period leading up to Namibia’s independence through discussions between leaders of the independence movement and international mining executives.
Founding Managing Director Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi said the creation of Namdeb required sustained negotiation and trust-building between government and the private sector in the years following independence.
“The formation of the company was not easy. It required negotiation, trust-building and constant balancing of the interests of the public partner, which focuses on social development and national benefit, and the private partner, which focuses on commercial returns to shareholders,” Zaamwani-Kamwi said.
She added that decision-making in the company’s early years often involved extensive deliberation between shareholders and the board as the partnership structure evolved.
“Board discussions during the early years were often robust. Directors debated strategy, projects and operational decisions in detail, and there were occasions when participants simply had to agree to disagree after lengthy deliberations,” she said.
