The deposit was discovered while the company was prospecting in a concession in the east of the country.
In a statement sent to VerAngola, the De Beers group, together with Endiama, announced that it "found its first new kimberlite deposit in over 30 years, while prospecting in a concession in the east of the country," where Endiama also has interests.
In the statement, the company reports that, during the prospecting period earlier this year, "a set of high-priority targets were identified using aerial surveys."
In July, "the drilling by De Beers and Endiama successfully intersected kimberlite, the host rock for diamonds."
According to the statement, in the coming months, "further drilling, soil geophysical surveys, and laboratory analyses will be conducted to confirm the kimberlite type and assess its diamond-bearing potential."
Quoted in the statement, Al Cook, CEO of De Beers, called Angola one of the "best places on the planet to search for diamonds."
"Angola is one of the best places on the planet to search for diamonds, and this discovery reinforces our confidence. It is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through partnerships, and I commend President João Lourenço and his government for all the work they have done to increase transparency, adopt international best practices, and create a business-friendly environment, which has allowed us to return to Angola and seek new sources of supply," he stated.
The company's CEO also expressed enthusiasm for the "role that De Beers can play in helping the country realize its enormous potential, both above and below ground."
It should be noted that De Beers signed mineral investment contracts with Angola for the first time in 2022 and a memorandum of understanding in 2024.
