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Namibia - in the search of diamonds - 1998

Namibia - in the search of diamonds - 1998

Jacek Pałkiewicz
2006-06-18 22:40:07

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than one eighth of the world total. This places it ahead of South Africa, Angola and Namibia, but behind Australia, Zambia and Botswana.
A year ago I visited the Mirnyi diamond mine in Siberia. This was a rare occasion since the mine is a highly-restricted area for Soviet citizens, let alone foreigners. The Soviet managers denied that there was any kind of secret pact between them and De Beers. "It is unthinkable that we should have dealings with a Johannesburg-based company since we boycott with South Africa", they told me.

Obviously, they felt unable to admit that their production finished in De Beer's hands via an English front company. Their secrecy was absolute. Even the total volume of their production was a state secret. When I asked I was given the puerile excuse that "news of this matter would upset world markets".
The Namib desert, which is one of the oldest deserts in the world, is covered by fog in the early morning. It often remains fog-bound until ten o'clock. The cause of this climatic phenomenon is the cold current which passes closely offshore.

One foggy morning I went to the heart of the mine's operations, the selection plant, walking past the gigantic machinery of the mine. There were cars, trucks, bulldozers, massive diggers and transporters, as well as a vast heap of scrap metal. On principle all vehicles which enter the protected area are never allowed to leave. It would be too simple for a stache of diamonds to be hidden in a lorry where even the most thorough check could not find it.
The diamond selection process was a highly mechanized operation. The smallest stones were identified by machinery and immediately destined for industrial use. The others were divided into sixteen categories according to their size, which ranged from 0.2 carats to over one carat. The stones were then selected again this time according to their shape.

The gems were then recorded on a computer and x-rayed to establish their colour before being handed over to a dozen inspectors who graded gems for their value. I felt little emotion as I looked at the little heaps of stones on the graders' tables, despite the colossal capital value they represented. The graders appeared even more detached than me.

Their job is not an easy one. They have to evaluate a diamond's weight, colour, purity and shape before deciding to which of more than 2000 categories it should rightly belong. From time to time they would consult among themselves before definitively grading a stone. Their decision was logged on a computer which fixed the stone's value. What value? The diamond is the traditional jewel used in engagement rings and for investments in precious stones and as such has always enjoyed a high price, sometimes an excessively high one as a result of speculation. Between 1930 and 1980 prices were akways satisfactory for the producers. In the mid-1980s, however, the price fell and only some astute moves by De Beers succeeded in avoiding a collapse in the market. But for long? Overproduction in the huge Australian diamond fields, the introduction of perfect, large synthetic diamonds, the independent policy being followed by a major producer like Zaire and, finally, the prospect of a fearsome flood of cheap Russian diamonds on the market seems likely to cancel the illusion that diamonds are a scarse commodity and to reduce them, at best, to the status of semi-precious stones.

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My youngest son was born in Oranjemund in 1972. We left there in 1974 having enjoyed all the facilities there at the time. Many a time my son has expressed a wish to return to his birth place, out of interest,To see his roots. There certainly was a high divorce rate there at that time, but we found it a friendly place. We left our Bull Terrier dog with one of the security families, & often wondered about him. He was called 'Buzzy' & the children missed him loads. Unfortunately the ill health of my mother lead to our return to the uk.A good move...Maybe ....who knows, it was a lovely rugged country, with good education for the younger children, fantastic health provision, & great opportunities to enhance ones status, carreer wise. We never kept in touch with anyone there, but no doubt they have all moved on by now. With the security still so very tight, I dont suppose my son James will ever fulfill his wish. It would be nice though.If there is a possibility, & anyone could help, we can be contacted via 'gsmith404@btinternet.com' Very interesting article.

Pat Smith, 2007-03-28 23:39:34