#ethicalmining

Through advanced geological research and sustainable exploration, De Beers’ latest kimberlite find in Angola marks a milestone for responsible innovation in the diamond industry.

In a remarkable breakthrough for the global diamond sector, De Beers Group, in partnership with Angola’s state-owned company Endiama, has announced the discovery of a new kimberlite field in northeastern Angola. This is the company’s first major discovery in nearly three decades, reaffirming its position as the world’s leading force in responsible diamond exploration.

The discovery is the result of years of scientific research, satellite imaging, and cutting-edge lab analysis conducted by the De Beers Lab exploration teams. By applying advanced technologies such as magnetic and gravity surveys and mineral chemistry, geologists confirmed the presence of diamond-bearing kimberlite — a rock formed deep within the Earth’s mantle that can carry natural diamonds to the surface.

“This discovery reinforces our confidence in Angola’s diamond potential,” said a company spokesperson. “Our exploration is guided by a commitment to transparency, local partnerships, and sustainable development.”

Commitment to Ethical Exploration

Unlike traditional mining narratives, De Beers’ modern exploration model is rooted in environmental stewardship and community collaboration. The company ensures that every new project undergoes environmental assessment and that nearby communities are engaged in development discussions from the earliest stages.

This approach reflects De Beers’ broader mission: combining scientific precision with social responsibility. The De Beers Lab network plays a vital role in developing technologies that reduce environmental impact, enhance traceability, and improve diamond recovery efficiency — ensuring the process remains both sustainable and transparent.

Science Meets Sustainability

The discovery also highlights how modern geology and laboratory science are transforming diamond exploration. Using high-resolution imaging, mineral fingerprinting, and advanced sampling, the De Beers Lab continues to redefine how the world understands diamond formation.

Such methods not only improve discovery accuracy but also minimize land disturbance, ensuring that exploration can coexist with biodiversity protection and sustainable land use.

A New Chapter for Africa’s Diamond Future

For Angola, this find signals renewed confidence in its potential as a leading diamond producer. For De Beers, it showcases how a company once defined by tradition can continue to innovate through science, partnership, and ethical responsibility.

In a quiet but telling move, Canada's latest federal budget introduces incentives for critical minerals development alongside tax credits for carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS). It's a pragmatic step to draw investments into clean energy and responsible resource extraction—grounded in the need to balance economic growth with environmental stewardship.

From this side of the Pacific, it prompts a gentle pause: Australia, with our vast deposits of lithium, cobalt, and rare earths, sits at a similar crossroads. How might we mirror this by prioritising community-led transitions in places like the Pilbara or Hunter Valley? Not just for export dollars, but to ensure the benefits—decent work, healthier lands, stronger Indigenous voices—stay close to home. In a region hungry for equitable green pathways, such policies whisper a broader ethic: progress that doesn't leave anyone behind.

Honestly, I think the diamond industry has mostly moved past that difficult era. The Kimberley Process definitely changed things for the better — it set up a global framework that made it harder for conflict diamonds to enter legitimate markets. Before that, there was almost no oversight, and consumers had no way to know where their diamonds came from.

The phrase “De Beers blood diamonds” once cast a shadow over the diamond industry. But what began as a period of reckoning in the 1990s has evolved into one of the most significant corporate transformations in modern history.

De Beers, once synonymous with monopoly and control, faced growing pressure as conflict diamonds emerged from war-torn regions. Instead of resisting change, the company took a different route—restructuring its global operations and committing to traceable, conflict-free sourcing.

This shift led to the creation of the Kimberley Process, a global certification system that ensures every diamond traded is conflict-free. De Beers became one of its earliest advocates, working alongside governments and NGOs to rebuild trust in the diamond market.

Today, technology drives this transformation. Through Tracr™, De Beers’ blockchain platform, each diamond can be tracked from mine to retail counter, providing verifiable proof of ethical sourcing.

Under its Building Forever initiative, De Beers also invests in education, environmental protection, and community development in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa.