Situated 240km west of Francistown, Orapa is a conventional open-pit mine currently mining at a depth of 250 metres and expected to reach 450 metres by 2026. Letlhakane Mine is 50km from Orapa. While Letlhakane's open-pit operations ceased as planned in 2017, its plant now processes tailings and has a capacity of up to 800,000 carats a year. Damtshaa Mine is 20km east of the Orapa Kimberlite pipe and officially opened in October 2003. All three mines are managed centrally from Orapa town due to the infrastructure that has been in place since Orapa Mine was discovered in the late 1960s.
ORAPA, LETLHAKANE AND DAMTSHAA MINES PRODUCTION
10.8
million carats in 2019
9.0
million carats in 2020
9.4
million carats in 2021
10.7
million carats in 2022
11.4
million carats in 2023
PERFORMANCE OVERVIEW
It is critical that mines adhere to best practice standards that address business, social and environmental risks.
The following certification standards are all verified by third parties to demonstrate that Orapa complies with strict and robust requirements that assess social and environmental issues, and the implementation of human rights due diligence frameworks.
- Best Practice Principles
- Ensuring that diamonds from DTC have met the highest professional, ethical and technical standards.
- Learn more
Each year, emerging or evolving risks are considered, and appropriate standards are added to the BPP requirements to address these for annual verification.
- RESPONSIBLE JEWELLERY COUNCIL
- Addressing issues including human rights, labour rights, environmental impact, mining operations and product disclosure
- Learn more
ISO 14001 is the international standard that specifies the requirements for an effective environmental management system. It provides a framework that an organisation can follow and subsequently be certified against. Being certified against this standard means an organisation has effectively demonstrated that they are running their organisation in an environmentally, and economically, sustainable manner.
ISO 45001:2018 is an international standard that sets out the requirements for occupational health and safety management. It provides guidance that an organisation can follow to develop their own health and safety framework and subsequently be certified against. Being certified against this standard means an organisation has effectively demonstrated that they have created the safest working conditions possible, has identified hazards and put in place controls to manage them, and has helped reduce workplace accidents and illnesses.
| Date of Last BPP Audit |
BPP Compliant |
Highest Level of Finding |
RJC Certificate # |
RJC Certificate Expiry Date |
| 1st-6th November 2021 |
Compliant |
None |
0000 3893
View certificate
|
14 October 2024
|
| ISO 45001:2018 certificate # |
ISO 45001:2018 certificate expiry date |
ISO 14001:2015 CERTIFICATE # |
ISO 14001:2015 CERTIFICATE EXPIRY DATE |
| OHS 753937 |
30 June 2026 |
EMS 753933 |
30 June 2026 |
Social Way Implementation Overview
Social Way 3.0 was launched in January 2020. The following foundational requirements are compulsory for all operations:
- 1. Governance
- 2. Review & Planning
- 3A. Stakeholder Engagement
- 3B. Incident & Grievance Management
- 3C. Social & Human Rights Risk & Impact Analysis
Certain risk-based requirements are also compulsory for all operations:
- 4A. Socio-Economic Development
- 4B. Contractor Social Management
- 4C. Community Health and Safety
- 4D. Emergency Preparedness & Response
- 4E. Voluntary Principles on Security & Human Rights
Of the context-specific requirements, the following have been screened in as applicable at Orapa:
- 4F. Land Access, Displacement & Resettlement
- 4G. Site-Induced Migration
- 4H. Cultural Heritage
- 4J. Conflict Management
At the end of 2023 Orapa assessed against all fourteen applicable requirements of Social Way 3.0 and the results of the assessment were incorporated into the site’s 2024 transition plan.
Learn more about the Social Way.