Jwaneng (meaning "a place of small stones") is the richest diamond mine in the world when measured by value of recovered diamonds. The Jwaneng Diamond Mine is located in south-central Botswana about 100 miles west of the city of Gaborone, in the Naledi river valley of the Kalahari Desert. The mine began operations in 1982, and is co-owned by De Beers and the Botswanan government under the name 'Debswana Diamond Company.'
Jwaneng is an open pit mine dug over three kimberlite pipes that converge near the surface. The mine has a very high extraction rate, producing 9.3 million tons of kimberlite ore per year at a ratio of 1.25 carats of diamond per ton. In 2003, the mine produced 14.3 million carats of rough, high-quality diamonds. As of 2005, known reserves will produce at current levels for 27 more years. The Jwaneng mine employs over 2,100 workers.