Underground the BCL copper-nickel mine.

BOTSWANA'S great mineral wealth decisively refutes the one-time description of its being one of the world's poorest countries. Despite the slow recovery in the global economy which affected the country's mineral exports, the mineral sector continues to play a leading role in the economy, contributing significantly to export earnings and employment of human resources.

The sector is still subject, however, to a continuing quota on its diamond sales, depressed prices for copper and nickel and a weak market for soda ash. With a view to creating a more balanced development, the current National Development Plan 7 puts emphasis on the need to diversify the economy away from the mineral sector. Mineral revenues are invested in viable projects that serve these objectives of diversification and export promotion.

DIAMONDS

Botswana's competitive edge in diamonds remains as sharp as ever. While its rapid rate of growth in the past cannot be projected to continue into the future, diamonds will remain a major contributor to both the Gross Domestic Product and government revenues.

Diamonds were first discovered in Botswana at Opera in 1967, with additional exploration revealing two smaller kimberlite pipes at Lethakane - the exploration of both pipes was well under way by 1980. Investigations of the feasibility of expanding production at the Orapa mine continue and results of the study are expected in mid-1994.

Hand sorting of diamond in a final checking for quality and flaus at Orapa House.

The Jwaneng pipe was discovered in 1972, with production at the mine beginning in 1982; construction of additional plant is expected to be fully operational by mid-1995. Sales at Debswana have remained strong due to a combination of factors such as higher carat sales, improved prices of diamonds, and a stronger US dollar compared to the Pula. Over the years new technologies and improvements in operational efficiencies have been effected at Debswana's operations, resulting in an increased recovery of finer diamonds which would otherwise have been lost to tailings.

In the past few years diamond cutting and polishing factories have been established in an effort to diversify within the diamond industry and create additional employment opportunities. In addition to the diamond Manufacturing Company established in 1980 and currently employing nearly 70 workers, two more factories were recently opened at Serowe and Molepole. Teemane Diamond Manufacturing Company in Serowe had a staff complement of 241 as the end of 1993, representing an increase of 91 over 1992; this factory is expected to achieve its full complement of 500 in 1995 when it will be fully operational.

In 1993 a state-of-the-art diamond cutting and polishing facility, with both automated and manual equipment, was opened in Molepole. Lazare Kaplan Botswana (LKB) is a subsidiary of LAzare Kaplan International, largest manufacturer of diamonds on the United States, with a worldwide distribution network for its ideal cut diamonds and jewelry products. The Government of Botswana, represented on LKB's board of directors, owns 15 percent of the shares. The current total of Botswana employees numbers over 200, with the workforce being trained by a complement of international diamond experts. development and expansion will be gradual, with economic viability remaining paramount.

No. 1 shaft at BCL copper-nickel mine at Selshi-Phikwe.

COPPER-NICKEL

Approximately 95 million tonnes of copper-nickel ore deposits exist in the Selebi-Phikwe area, occurring in two ore bodies and having an average metal content of 0,68 percent nickel and 0,71 copper. These deposits are mined by BCL Limited, a mining operation which produces copper-nickel matte from three shafts for export. As at the end of 1993, the company employed about 4600 citizens and 245 expatriates, making it the single largest private sector employer in the country, with mining plans extending to the year 2005 and exploration ongoing to extend this date even further. Ore reserves at that period stood at approximately 93 million tonnes.

The Selkirk mine near Francistown is operated by Tali Nickel Mining, a company which continues production of copper-nickel for processing at BCL, while trial mining at a third pit at the Phoenix deposit adjacent to Selkirk was conducted in 1992/93 to enable investors to prepare a feasibility study, including design of an optimum mining method. Improved international metal markets and the development of a rail to Sua Pan have also revived interest in the old Bushmen mine and the Matsitama deposits, with a mining lease for the latter issued to Thakadu Mining.

SODA ASH

Total annual world consumption of this alkaline chemical basic to everyday life total some 30 million tons, a figure expected to increase to more than 40 million tons by the turn of the century. Approximately two-thirds of the World demand for soda ash is one produced chemically, using salt and lime as raw materials. In southern Africa approximately 35 percent of soda ash is used in glass manufacture, 30 percent in metallurgical applications, 13 percent in the detergent industry and the balance in general chemical manufacture.

The soda ash plant at Sua Pan is currently operating below capacity, mainly due to weak market conditions for its products. Soda Ash Botswana's facility uses the natural carbonate resources of Botswana and has installed capacity to make the sub-continent virtually independent of imported materials. This plant also has the capacity to produce 650000 tons of salt per year, the quality of the product making it ideally suited as a raw material in the production of certain chemicals.

OTHER MINERALS

Botswana's other smaller deposits of minerals, although usually small operations, provide needed employment for many Botswana. Coal resources suitable for power station use have been identified in eastern Botswana, and Morpule Colliery, the country's only coal mine, is situated near Palapye and operated by the Anglo American Corporation. The Mmamabula area also contains large deposits and could conveniently supply Gaborone's industrial needs.

Gold was one of the earliest minerals to be exploited, with a number of mines operating today, most of them salvaging from tailings left by older, less efficient methods of extraction. Monacrh Gold Mine has been re-opened with more advanced technologies for small scale operations, Jacomar Manganese re-opened the manganese mine at Kgakgwe Hill in the southern district, and production is under way at the Obatse Clayworks.

In the western part of the country an aeromatic survey has identified deep sedimentary basins containing non-magnetic fill and which are potential gas and oil bearing formations. Crushed stone and sand as well as limestone are quarried for use in road building and the construction sector. Semi-precious stones are also collected and processed. Other minerals known to occur in Botswana include antimony, chromite, feldspar, fluorine, graphite, gypsum, kaolin, lead, manganese, platinum, silver, talc, uranium and zinc.

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