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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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on my part. A few minutes later I saw a cloud of dust coming over the horizon. A Nissan truck pulled up at the gates. The driver wasn't in uniform, but he was carrying a pistol in the holster strapped to his side. He fiddled with the keys that opened the locks of the gate dividing this prohibited region from the rest of Namibia. He was a red-haired Boer, who confirmed my identity and handed me a pass upon which my name was printed, allowing me to pass through the security fence. He had an easy-going manner :"I'm Mike from security. I have the pleasure of escorting you to Oranjemund. Please don't stop at any point in our journey. Do you want to follow me?" he added.

He closed the gate and set off. After a few kilometers we were met by another fence, with more locks and signs warning all-comers the trespassing on territory owned by CDM was severely prohibited. The raod was smooth. We passed by mountains of granite, quartz plains and rolling sand dunes. A few herds of gemshbock antelopes were roving the inhospitable terrain. Then we followed the river Orange, on the border with South Africa. Half-way along the road, we took a turn-off to see the "Auchas, a new mine which Mike told me would be in service within a year, at an annual cost of 32,000,000 dollars, but which would produce 44,000 carats of diamonds a year for the next ten years.

I then learnt that in 1991 another mine would be opened 30 kilometers south of Luderitz, at Elisabeth Bay. This mine is expected to produce 270,000 carats every year, despite employing only 350 staff. CDM doesn't stint on investment in geological research. From the high point of the boom in the 1970s, when annual production reached one and a half million carats (in concrete terms this means 300 kilograms of diamonds), extraction has fallen to 934,000 carats annually. A significant fact is that 30 years ago, to obtain the same quantity of carats the company "only" had to process 5,250,000 tons of diamantiferous ...

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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