Mining for diamonds most likely started in India centuries ago. Until discoveries of diamond deposits in Brazil in the early 18th century, alluvial mining in India was the only source of diamonds in the world. Mining of primary kimberlite diamond deposits on an industrial scale had only emerged with diamond discoveries in South Africa within the second half of the 19th century. Initially, kimberlite deposits were mined as open cast mines but as soon as open cast mining reached technical and economic limits, underground mining was implemented in the 1890s. To date, primary diamond deposits mined by surface or underground mining methods on an industrial scale are mainly volcanic pipes, steeply dipping dykes or shallow dipping sills. The recent discovery of tube-like shallow dipping bodies will no doubt justify consideration of different underground mining approaches. Underground mining only became practical after the development of the chambering method in the 1890s which remained in use until the 1950s, when the block caving mining method was implemented. Since then, more than 18 mining methods have been introduced and developed in diamond mines. Another major development in diamond mining is offshore mining along the coast of Namibia. Open pit mining today accounts for the majority of carats produced but underground mining is playing an increasing role. Excluding alluvial and offshore diamond mines, approximately 15 of 50 primary diamond deposits are operated as underground mines and another 15 or so have underground plans or hold the potential for underground mine development. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of historical and modern mining methods implemented in diamond mines worldwide with the focus on primary diamond deposits.
