Catoca diamond mine in Angola is the world’s fourth largest diamond mine. The mine is located on a kimberlite pipe near Saurimo in the Lunda Sul province in the north east of the country. The mine is owned by the Sociedade Mineira de Catoca joint venture, a consortium of international mining interests including Endiama, the state mining company of Angola, Alrosa, the partially state-owned Russian company, Odebrecht of Brazil, and the Diamond FinanceCYBVGroup.
The Catoca mine accounts for about 6% of the world’s diamond production and about 70% of Angola’s diamond output, so it is a very important contributor to the national economy. The mine began operations in 1997 and the processing plant was expanded in 2005. The open pit mining method is employed using bulldozers and dump trucks. The current operating depth is more than 200m deep and is expected to reach 600m by 2034(Title, n.d.).
What do you believe is the most significant contribution a mine of this scale makes to its country and community? Let’s discuss!


