De Beers Prospecting for Diamonds in India

Diamond giant De Beers has submitted an application to prospect in the Mahbubnagar region of India, the Deccan Chronicle reports. In the four years since the diamond company was granted a permit to survey six thousand square kilometers of the area in 2009, it carried out aerial, geophysical, geochemical and geological mapping work, striking upon almost two dozen kimberlites. De Beers noted in its operating and financial review that it is now testing the twenty-two kimberlites it found in Mahbubnagar for diamond potential, but it now needs to renew its permissions because that permit has expired.

Once revenue authorities confirm that they do not object to additional De Beers operations in the area, the firm can continue to prospect. The next step would be a mining lease, according to Hyderabad Director of Mines and Geology B.R.V. Susheel Kumar, which would permit pitting, trenching and sub-surface excavation.

The original De Beers permits included about 130 square kilometers of forest in the Nallamala region, but locals protesting this development, claiming that it would infringe upon their habitat and livelihood. De Beers excluded forested areas from their new prospecting application, according to the Deccan Chronicle.

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