The De Beers 50-50 joint venture with the Namibian government has land and marine operations in the country.

"It was an objective that we thought was unattainable - that by the end of this year they would definitely produce two million carats.

But they have produced two million already, three weeks before the end of the financial year," Iita told Fin24.

Namdeb's annual diamond production is usually 1,6 to 1,7 million carats.

Iita warned that Namdeb's future output would come largely from offshore mining as the country's land-based resources were almost depleted.

Namibia is the world's seventh largest rough diamond producer by value.

www.fin24.com

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