A tragic incident unfolded at Debswana’s Jwaneng mine in Botswana, resulting in the loss of a worker’s life. The unfortunate event involved a crane and a drill rig. The joint venture, which stands equally between De Beers and the Botswana government, confirmed the fatality of an employee from one of its business partners on Monday morning, as per a statement released on Tuesday.
An ongoing investigation is in progress to comprehend the circumstances surrounding the incident. The statement assured that all relevant stakeholders would receive updates as the inquiry progresses. Debswana expressed its commitment to providing comprehensive support to the bereaved family and requested that they be respected and given privacy during this difficult period.
According to a spokesperson, this marks the first fatality at a De Beers mine since 2022. However, in September 2023, a road accident claimed the lives of approximately 20 employees at De Beers’ Venetia mine in South Africa.
The presentation delivered by the miner at the JCK Las Vegas show last month provided insights into the historical record of fatalities within De Beers operations. It revealed three fatalities in 2018, none between 2019 and 2021, and one in 2022.
Jwaneng open-pit mine holds significance as De Beers’ most lucrative diamond project, contributing approximately 2.5 million carats to De Beers’ global total of 6.9 million carats in the first quarter of this year.
