Elizabeth Bay, Namibia
Ghost town in ǁKaras Region, Namibia / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Elizabeth Bay is a mining town on the southern coast of Namibia, 25 km (16 mi) south of Lüderitz.[1] It was formerly considered a ghost town. Diamonds were first discovered in the region around 1908.[2] However, it wasn't until 1989 that the government of Namibia spent $53 million on the exploration and creation of a new diamond mine on the site.[3] The mine had a projected life-span of ten years and was expected to produce 2.5 million carats of diamonds. The mine was officially opened by Sam Nujoma on 2 August 1991[1] and stopped being operational around 1998. By 2000, the town was considered a ghost town. Because of being located in a restricted area, a permit is required for a visit.
Elizabeth Bay | |
---|---|
Ghost town | |
Coordinates: 26°54′58″S 15°11′02″E | |
Country | Namibia |
Region | ǁKaras Region |
Constituency | Lüderitz Constituency |
Population | |
• Total | 0 |
Time zone | UTC+1 (South African Standard Time) |
In 2005 it was announced that the mine would be expanded, thus furthering its lifespan by eight years.[4] The mine is currently operated by Namdeb. It is owned jointly by De Beers and the Namibia Government.[5] As of 2009 the Elizabeth Bay mine was operating at a $76 million loss.[6]
Elizabeth Bay is home to forty percent of the world's Cape fur seals.[2]