Cullinan Big Hole

Description

In the early 1900s, the small town of Cullinan, located east of Pretoria, was thrown to instant fame upon the discovery of diamonds. The Cullinan Big Hole, owned by De Beers, was opened in 1903 and features a pit that is 4 times larger than the big hole in Kimberley. The mine is fully operational, contributing towards 25% of the world's gem-quality diamond output.

It was the 3,108 carat diamond found here in 1905 that made this mine world famous. The Cullinan Diamond is claimed to be the largest uncut diamond ever found and forms an integral part of Britain’s Crown Jewels.

Daily tours are available and offer fun and educational surface and underground tours. Tour guides will explain how geology plays a vital part in the creation of these diamonds before describing the extraction and cutting process. In total, Cullinan Diamond Mine has produced 120 million carats of stones. There is an array of custom jewellery on sale.