De Beers Group and Angola’s national diamond company, Endiama, have announced a major breakthrough in their joint exploration efforts — the discovery of kimberlite, the primary host rock for diamonds, in Angola.
In July 2025, the De Beers–Endiama joint venture intersected kimberlite in its first drill hole targeting a high-priority cluster identified from airborne surveys completed in March 2025. This marks the first new kimberlite field discovery by De Beers in over 30 years.
Next Steps in Exploration
Over the coming months, the team will conduct further drilling, ground geophysical surveys, and laboratory analysis to determine the kimberlite type and assess its diamond potential. This phase will be critical in confirming the commercial viability of the discovery.
A Strategic Partnership
This milestone builds on two Mineral Investment Contracts signed in April 2022 between De Beers and the Government of Angola, as well as a Memorandum of Understanding signed at Mining Indaba 2024. These agreements demonstrate a long-term commitment to responsibly unlocking Angola’s diamond resources.
Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group, praised Angola as “one of the best places on the planet to look for diamonds,” crediting the government for enhancing transparency, adopting international best practices, and creating a business-friendly environment.
Unlocking Angola’s Diamond Potential
President João Lourenço’s administration has prioritised reforms to attract global mining investment, positioning Angola as a competitive destination in the global diamond market. The discovery could strengthen Angola’s role as a major diamond producer while bringing economic benefits “both below and above the ground,” according to Cook.
