e of Botswanas premiere diamond mines is located in Orapa. [Orapas] giant kimberlite pipe was discovered by DeBeers geologists in the late 1960s and the mine became operational in 1971 (Joyce) Namibia, formerly known as South West Africa, is another fine example of an economically stable country, which is heavily involved in diamond mining. The economy of Namibia is primarily market based. Economic policies aim at sustaining economic growth, variety in the productive base and the attraction of foreign investors. (MBendi) Although over the past several years, Namibia has seen a decline of mining as a major factor in their economy, it still plays an important role. Mining contributed 13% to Namibias GDP in 1999, of which diamond mining activities represented 9%. Mining products produce up to 50% of Namibias annual export earnings. Although the mining industry plays a vital role in Namibias economy, the mining sector has experienced a decline in growth over the past few years. This has mainly been as a result of several mining ventures closing down due to diminishing ore reserves and low commodity prices. Namibias main mining products include diamonds, uranium, gold, zinc, copper and lead. (MBendi)In this nation the state oversees all mineral mining activities. Licenses are issued to give investors rights to mine in certain regions. There are several different types of licenses, which can be obtained, including, Non Exclusive Prospecting Licenses, Reconnaissance Licenses, Exclusive Prospecting License, and Mineral Deposit Retention Licenses. Each license grants different rights to mining investors and are only valid for certain amounts of time. There are different mining taxes and royalties placed on mining companies as well. Tight government control and rigid mining regulations are obvious reasons why Namibia has been successful in its diamond mining ventures. Diamonds are slowly loosing their importance in Namibias economy ...
