Africa & Middle East South Africa Visiting Kimberley Diamond Mine in South Africa By Susan Breslow Sardone Susan Breslow Sardone Susan Breslow Sardone is a travel journalist who specializes in honeymoons and romantic getaways, and who originated New York Magazine's highly successful "City Weddings and Honeymoons" sections. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 06/07/19 TripSavvy / Jess Macdonald Kimberley, South Africa, is home to the world’s largest diamond mine, also known as the “Big Hole.” Dug by humans and so large it is visible from space, the pit has yielded some of the world’s largest diamonds and made the De Beers name famous worldwide. At Kimberley visitors can view a 17-minute movie about the location and the history of diamond mining in Africa. They also get to walk out on a high platform to view The Big Hole, take a ride down a faux mining shaft, enter a locked vault to view genuine diamonds of all colors, and visit a small museum. There is also a café, gift and jewelry shops, and many structures and artifacts left from the days when Kimberly was a thriving mining town. Visitors can walk the eerily empty streets of the company town and step into the modest home where the De Beers family lived. Those who arrive at Kimberley’s Victorian railway station by train then travel to The Big Hole via motorcoach, about a ten-minute drive. 01 of 11 Mine Statistics TripSavvy / Jess Macdonald Nearly 15 million diamonds were extracted from the Kimberley Diamond Mine, discovered in 1871. Excavation ended in August 1914. Continue to 2 of 11 below. 02 of 11 The Big Hole TripSavvy / Jess Macdonald That's deep: The Big Hole is 215 meters, or 705 feet, deep. Continue to 3 of 11 below. 03 of 11 Mine Map Susan Breslow Sardone This map helps visitors to understand the facilities they can explore around The Big Hole. They include original and recreated structures from when Kimberley was a working mine with a town that served its residents with a variety of shops and other necessities. Continue to 4 of 11 below. 04 of 11 Diamond Mining Machinery TripSavvy / Jess Macdonald Rusted now, this was one of the machines in use during the heyday of diamond mining in Kimberley. Continue to 5 of 11 below. 05 of 11 Kimberley Diamond Museum TripSavvy / Jess Macdonald The Kimberley Diamond Museum tells the story of the history of diamond mining and presents artifacts from the early days. Many visitors wonder if free samples are available. They are not. Continue to 6 of 11 below. 06 of 11 South African Diamond Mining Town TripSavvy / Jess Macdonald The discovery of diamonds brought not only miners but also tradesmen to Kimberly, and a town sprouted at the end of the nineteenth century. Continue to 7 of 11 below. 07 of 11 Diamond Miners' Huts Susan Breslow Sardone Although slavery was abolished in the Cape Colony in 1834, most of the miners did not live much better than those who had no freedom. Continue to 8 of 11 below. 08 of 11 Kimberley's Oldest House Susan Breslow Sardone According to the sign, "This house was prefabricated in England in 1877, conveyed from the coast to the diamond fields by oxwagon and erected at 14 Pneil Rd. First registered owner, Mr. A. J. Petersen." Continue to 9 of 11 below. 09 of 11 De Beer Gravestone Susan Breslow Sardone Johannes De Beer was an Afrikaner upon whose farmland diamonds were discovered. He is buried in Kimberley. Continue to 10 of 11 below. 10 of 11 Kimberley Diamond Buyer Susan Breslow Sardone Once an important part of the diamond trade, this one-room office was where diamonds found in Kimberley were purchased and sent overseas for cutting and sale. Continue to 11 of 11 below. 11 of 11 Kimberley Bank Susan Breslow Sardone Little of the riches dug from the Kimberly mines benefitted South Africans; most of the treasure was sent overseas. The Kimberley diamond mine enriched Englishman Cecil Rhodes, who founded De Beers. The company became a virtual monopoly. The imperialist Rhodes and his British South Africa Company founded Rhodesia, which now includes the southern African countries of Zimbabwe and Zambia. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Tell us why! Submit