Diamond Hunters

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Technology Documentary published by Discovery Channel broadcasted as part of DC Building the Biggest series in 2006 - English narration

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First there was the gold rush, over 100 years ago, when tens of thousands of prospectors with dollar signs in their eyes headed into northern Canada to seek their fortunes. Today it is the diamond rush which is attracting miners. Beneath the barren wastelands of Canada’s Arctic tundra there are millions of dollars worth of diamonds. And the new prospectors are digging in.
Canada’s first diamond mine started operating as recently as 1998. Already the country is the world’s third largest producer of diamonds in terms of value, behind Botswana and Russia. Diamonds were first discovered in Canada in 1991, at Point Lake in the Northwest Territories, around 300 km northeast of Yellowknife. There are currently two mines in production, with another three expected to open by 2007.
Between 1998 and 2002, 13.8 million carats of diamonds (a carat weighs 200 milligrams) were extracted from the Canadian mines. Some experts believe that Canada could be producing up to half of the world’s diamonds within the next 10 or 15 years.
You might think that most diamonds come from South Africa, but they are actually found in around 25 different countries. The biggest producer is Botswana, accounting for about a quarter of production in terms of value. Russia comes next, with some 22 per cent, while South Africa contributes about 14 per cent by value. Canada now produces some 15 per cent.