Diamonds are mined on every inhabited continent, but most come from a few regions: southern and central Africa, Russia's Yakutia, northern Canada and, until 2020, northwestern Australia. These regions sit on old, stable blocks of continental crust called cratons, where kimberlite and lamproite pipes carried diamonds up from the mantle. Rivers and seas then spread some of those diamonds into gravels. This page introduces the main regions and mines, with links to country pages.
Southern Africa
Southern Africa has produced diamonds on a large scale since 1867, when the Eureka diamond was found near the Orange River. The rush that followed opened the Kimberley mine, the Big Hole, dug largely by hand before going underground and closing in 1914. See diamond mines of South Africa.
The Cullinan mine near Pretoria, once called the Premier mine, produced the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond in 1905, the largest gem diamond ever found. It has also yielded many important blue diamonds.
Botswana became one of the largest producers by value after discoveries in the late 1960s. Orapa and Jwaneng, both open-pit kimberlite mines, are among the richest in the world. See diamond mines of Botswana.
Namibia's deposits lie along the coast and offshore, where the Orange River and sea currents spread diamonds over millions of years. Its marine mining fleet and the old Sperrgebiet restricted zone are covered on the diamond mines of Namibia page. Lesotho's Letseng mine, high in the mountains, is known for a high share of very large diamonds.
Central and West Africa
Angola's Catoca kimberlite is one of the largest diamond mines in the world, alongside extensive alluvial fields in the Lunda provinces. See diamond mines of Angola. The Democratic Republic of Congo produces large volumes, much of it industrial grade and much from artisanal digging. Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea produce alluvial diamonds, a trade tied to the civil wars of the 1990s (see conflict diamonds and diamond mines of Liberia).
Russia
Soviet geologists found diamond pipes in Yakutia (Sakha Republic), Siberia, in the 1950s. The Mir pipe became a huge open pit, and the Udachny, Aikhal and Jubilee pipes followed. Mining in permafrost brings its own engineering problems. Deposits near Arkhangelsk in European Russia, including the Lomonosov and Grib pipes, came later. See diamond mines of Russia.
Canada
Prospectors found diamond-bearing kimberlite at Lac de Gras in the Northwest Territories in 1991 after years of tracing indicator minerals. Ekati opened in 1998 and Diavik in 2003, with others such as Gahcho Kue following. Supplies often travel on winter ice roads. See diamond mines of Canada.
Australia
The Argyle mine in Western Australia, a lamproite pipe, opened in the 1980s and for years produced a large share of the world's diamonds by volume. Most were brown, but Argyle was the main source of pink diamonds. It closed in 2020. See diamond mines of Australia.
The Americas and Asia
Brazil was the world's main source from the 1720s until South Africa took over (see diamond mines of Brazil). The United States has small deposits, including Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas, where visitors can dig (see diamond mines of the United States).
India's alluvial mines near Golconda supplied the world until the 18th century and are traditionally credited with the Koh-i-Noor and the Hope (see the Golconda mines). Borneo has a long history of alluvial production (see diamond mines of Borneo).
Mining methods and geology
Pipe mines start as open pits and often go underground. Alluvial mines dig river gravels, and marine operations dredge the sea floor. The how diamonds are mined page explains each method, and diamond geology explains how the deposits formed.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries produce the most diamonds?
Russia, Botswana, Canada, the DRC, Angola and South Africa have been among the leading producers in recent decades. Rankings shift from year to year by volume and by value.
What was the largest diamond ever found?
The Cullinan, 3,106 carats of rough, found at the Premier (now Cullinan) mine in South Africa in 1905.
Is the Argyle mine still open?
No. Argyle in Western Australia closed in 2020 after more than three decades of production.