Editing Economy of Botswana (section)

=== Diamonds and other gems ===
[[File:Jwaneng Open Mine.jpg|thumb|200px|left|The [[Jwaneng diamond mine]] is the second biggest in the world today.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Groot |first=Robert |date=2022-09-30 |title=Top 10 Biggest Diamond Mines |url=https://www.royalcoster.com/blogs/craftmanship/top-10-biggest-diamond-mines |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=Royal Coster Diamonds |language=en}}</ref>]]Since early 1980s, the country has been one of the world's largest producers of gem diamonds.<ref name="Background 2002" /><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-02-28 |title=Botswana - Mining & Minerals |url=https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/botswana-mining-minerals |access-date=2024-05-05 |website=www.trade.gov |language=en}}</ref> Eight large diamond mines have opened since Botswana's independence.<ref>{{Cite web |title=minedocs.com/20/DTC_Botswana_Global_Publications_Journey_Botswanas_Diamonds.pdf |url=https://minedocs.com/20/DTC_Botswana_Global_Publications_Journey_Botswanas_Diamonds.pdf |website=Minedocs.com |page=2}}</ref> De Beers prospectors discovered diamonds in northern Botswana in the early 1970s.<ref name="Background 2002" /> The first mine began production at [[Orapa diamond mine|Orapa]] in 1972, followed by a smaller mine at [[Letlhakane diamond mine|Letlhakane]].<ref name="Background 2002" /> What has become the single-richest diamond mine in the world opened in [[Jwaneng diamond mine|Jwaneng]] in 1982.<ref name="Background 2002" /> The mine was discovered when termites looking for water brought grains of diamond to the surface.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/746835808 |title=Botswana Business Law Handbook Strategic Information and Laws. |date=2012 |publisher=Intl Business Pubns USA |others=USA International Business Publications |isbn=978-1-4387-6945-5 |oclc=746835808}}</ref> Botswana produced a total of 24 million carats of diamonds from Debswana in 2022,<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 May 2023 |title=Botswana president insists on bigger share of diamonds from De Beers venture |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/botswana-president-insists-bigger-share-diamonds-de-beers-venture-2023-05-25/#:~:text=L)%20%2C%20opens%20new%20tab%2C,of%20the%20De%20Beers%20system. |access-date=5 May 2024 |work=Reuters}}</ref> and is the highest producer of diamonds by value in the world as of 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ranked: The World's Top Diamond Mining Countries, by Carats |url=https://www.visualcapitalist.com/cp/world-diamond-mining-by-country/ |website=Visual Capitalist|date=29 September 2023 }}</ref> The Orapa 2000 Expansion of the existing Orapa mine was opened in 2000.<ref name="Background 2002" /> According to Debswana, the Orapa 2000 Expansion project increase the Orapa's mine annual output from 6 million carats to 12 million carats and raised total production to 26 million carats.<ref>{{cite web|title=Our History|url=http://www.debswana.com/About-Us/Pages/Our-History.aspx|publisher=Debswana|access-date=31 March 2018}}</ref> In 2003, Debswana opened the [[Damtshaa diamond mine]] about 220 kilometers (140&nbsp;mi) west of the city of [[Francistown]]. The mine was placed into care and maintenance in December 2015 due to weak global demand but was scheduled to reopen in January 2018.<ref>{{cite web|title=Damtshaa – Debswana's newest mine|url=http://www.debeersgroup.com/botswana/en/who-we-are/de-beers-in-botswana/debswana/damtshaa.html|publisher=De Beers Group|access-date=31 March 2018|archive-date=14 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714032932/http://www.debeersgroup.com/botswana/en/who-we-are/de-beers-in-botswana/debswana/damtshaa.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=De Beers to Resurrect Damtshaa Mine|date = 30 October 2017|url=http://www.diamonds.net/News/NewsItem.aspx?ArticleID=59486&ArticleTitle=De+Beers+to+Resurrect+Damtshaa+Mine|publisher=Rapaport News|access-date=31 March 2018}}</ref> In 2008, Australia's Kimberley Diamond Company opened a mine in [[Lerala]], Botswana's fifth mine and the first not operated by Debswana.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abnnewswire.net/press/en/44155/DIAMONEX-LIMITED.html|title=Diamonex Limited Acquires Kimberlite Pipes in USA|publisher=ABN Newswire|access-date=20 January 2008}}</ref> However, Kimberley shut down the mine in May 2017, citing weak market conditions.<ref>{{cite web|title=Botswana Lerala Diamond Mine shuts down – newspaper|url=https://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFKBN18S4Z4-OZABS|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170605021400/http://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFKBN18S4Z4-OZABS|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 June 2017|publisher=Reuters Africa|access-date=31 March 2018}}</ref>

Most of Botswana's electricity is imported from South Africa's [[Eskom]].<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-02-28 |title=Botswana - Energy |url=https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/botswana-energy |access-date=2024-05-05 |website=www.trade.gov |language=en}}</ref> Debswana operates the nearby [[Morupule Colliery]] to supply coal to it.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.miningweekly.co.za/min/sector/coal/?show%3D75117 |title=Creamer Media's Mining Weekly Online, South African Mining News :: Coal |access-date=2016-05-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060217023857/http://www.miningweekly.co.za/min/sector/coal/?show=75117 |archive-date=17 February 2006}}</ref> Botswana exported $3.12k worth of electricity from 2021 to 2022, all going to Zimbabwe.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Electricity in Botswana |url=https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-product/electricity/reporter/bwa |access-date=2024-05-05 |website=The Observatory of Economic Complexity |language=en}}</ref> In early 2008, the entire southern African region was hit hard by massive shortages of power, since the region works to share its power resources through the [[Southern African Power Pool]], with most of its capacity coming from South Africa. Botswana has in turn put in place plans to become a net exporter of power to the regional pool, through governmental expansion of the Morupule power station, as well as encouraging private investment in the form of a 4 gigawatt power station by the Canadian greenfield company CIC Energy. In 2012, CIC Energy was acquired by India's [[Jindal Steel and Power]]. Jindal Africa currently aims to operate three surface mines in the coalfields of [[Mmamabula]], as well as a power plant. According to the company, "the mine’s development will meet the demands of 600MW power stations and export region coal markets, with the potential to employ more than 2,000 people."<ref>{{cite web|title=Botswana Overview|url=http://www.jindalafrica.com/countries/botswana/botswana-overview|publisher=Jindal Africa|access-date=31 March 2018|archive-date=21 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230521201948/https://www.jindalafrica.com/countries/botswana/botswana-overview|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Botswana|url=https://www.globalmethane.org/documents/toolsres_coal_overview_ch3.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009103709/http://www.globalmethane.org/documents/toolsres_coal_overview_ch3.pdf |archive-date=2011-10-09 |url-status=live|publisher=Global Methane Initiative|access-date=31 March 2018}}</ref>

Botswana also produces [[soda ash]] through Botash, a joint venture between the government and South Africa's Chlor-Alkali Holdings (CAH) Group. Botash has been operating in the [[Sua Pan]] in northeastern Botswana since April 1991.<ref>{{cite web |title=Company History |url=http://www.botash.bw/company-history/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202065435/https://botash.bw/company-history/ |archive-date=2 December 2020 |access-date=31 March 2018 |publisher=Botash}}</ref>