Brief history of diamond mining in South Africa

INCLUDING MAJOR EVENTS

1867
Diamonds are discovered in the Cape Colony – now the Northern Cape – when 15-year-old Erasmus Jacobs finds a transparent rock on his father’s farm. The rock is later known as the 21.19ct Eureka diamond
1868
Major diamond strike at Kimberley in Northern Cape
1870
Cecil Rhodes arrives in South Africa and invests three thousand pounds in the Kimberley diamond diggings
1871
Johannes and Diederik de Beer buy Vooruitzicht farm in the then Orange Free State and discover diamonds on the land. A diamond rush begins and Vooruitzicht would become the site of the Big Hole – or Kimberley mine – and De Beers mine
1876
Barney Barnato buys four claims in Kimberley mine before forming Barnato Diamond Mining Company
1867 -
1877
Annual world diamond production increases more than tenfold
1883
Barnato merges his company with Kimberley Central Mining Company
1888
Barnato sells out to Cecil Rhodes who forms De Beers Consolidated Mines
1889
Chamber of Mines founded
1899 -
1902
Anglo-Boer War caused disruptions in the mining industry
1899
Within days of the outbreak of the second Boer War, Kimberley town is besieged. It remains under siege, its mines closed, for 124 days
1902
Thomas Cullinan purchases Cornelis Minnaar farm and the kimberlite diamond pipe is soon established, along with the Premier Diamond Mining Company
1905
The Cullinan diamond is discovered at the Premier mine. At 3,106.75ct, it is the largest rough diamond ever found. The Premier mine is later renamed the Cullinan mine. The Cullinan diamond is cut into nine gems. The two biggest are presented to King Edward VII in 1908 and now form part of the British Crown Jewels
1910
Union of South Africa formed
1914
Premier is shut down at the outbreak of World War I
1916
Premier begins operating again
1920
Annual diamond production reaches 20 million carats
1927 -
1957
Sir Ernest Oppenheimer heads De Beers
1920s
De Beers influences most world’s rough suppliers to sell production through the company, giving the company the power to influence diamond supply and diamond prices
1928
First African diamond cutting factory opens in Kimberley
1930
A central buying organisation to all producers (Diamond Trading Company) and an organisation dedicated to selling, the CSO (Central Selling Organisation), are founded
1932
The Great Depression deepens and demand for diamonds dries up. De Beers closes all mines
1939 -
1945
Diamond mines close for duration of World War II
1947
Diamond is forever  ad campaign created by the US advertising agency, NW Ayer and De Beers changes the world diamond market causing demand for diamonds to increase
1957 -
1984
Harry Oppenheimer heads De Beers
1970s
World annual diamond production reaches 50 million carats
1978
Finsch diamond mine opens in Northern Cape
1979
Premier is opened up below the Gabbro sill, a 70m geologic intrusion of barren rock which cuts through the pipe some 400m below surface
1982
NUM formed – the first black union in mining in 40 years
1983
NUM wins collective bargaining rights from the Chamber of Mines
1990s
World annual diamond production reaches 100 million carats
1990
Nelson Mandela freed from prison
1992
Venetia diamond mine opens in the now Limpopo province
1994
South Africa holds first democratic elections
1996
The Mine Health and Safety Act introduced to address worker safety
2000
De Beer’s market share falls to less than 60% from 90% in the 1980s and the company no longer has control of the market. Company shifts to focus on independent marketing and branding
2002
The Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act provides for equitable access to and sustainable development of South Africa’s mineral and petroleum resources
2003
Kimberley Process Certification Scheme is established to stem the flow of conflict diamonds
2003
First women employed in mining positions
2004
Mining Charter comes into effect
2005
Market forces drive diamond prices resulting in unprecedented price volatility. World production peaks at 177Mct
2007
De Beers sells Koffiefontein mine to Petra Diamonds
2010
De Beers sells Kimberley underground mine to Petra Diamonds
2011
De Beers sells Finsch mine to Petra Diamonds
2011
Oppenheimer family announces an exit from De Beers, ending almost a century-long monopoly
2016
De Beers completes sale of Kimberley Mines surface operations to Ekapa Minerals
2017
De Beers Group announces a three-year partnership with UN Women to accelerate the advancement of women across its organisation