The discoveries of the Eureka Diamond in 1867 and the Star of South Africa in 1869 convinced the world that southern Africa held extraordinary diamond wealth.

What followed was one of the greatest mineral rushes in history. Within only a few years, thousands of prospectors arrived from across southern Africa, Britain, Europe, Australia and America in search of unimaginable riches.

The rush began beside the Orange River, spread to the Vaal River, and finally reached the dry plains where the world's richest diamond mines would be discovered. Those discoveries gave birth to the city of Kimberley.

Quick Facts

💎 First authenticated diamond: Eureka Diamond in 1867

🌊 Diamond that sparked the first rush: Star of South Africa - Orange River near Hopetown in 1869

🌊 Second major rush: Klip Drift on the Vaal River in 1870 - now Barkly West

⛏ Five great Kimberley mines: Bultfontein, Dutoitspan, De Beers, Kimberley (Big Hole) and Wesselton

🏙 Town founded as: New Rush in 1871

📜 Renamed Kimberley: on 5 July 1873

🏛 Kimberley municipality established: in 1877

🏙 Kimberley and Beaconsfield amalgamate into a City of Kimberley: in 1912

The First Rush – The Orange River

Following the discovery of the Star of South Africa, prospectors flocked to the Orange River near Hopetown in search of diamonds washed down from ancient volcanic sources.

These early alluvial diggings produced many diamonds, but the deposits were scattered and difficult to work. Nevertheless, they convinced thousands that diamonds could be found across the region. The Orange River rush marked the beginning of South Africa's diamond industry.

In 1870 an even richer discovery was made along the gravel banks of the Vaal River at Klip Drift, now Barkly West. 

Just outside present-day Barkly West lies Canteen Kopje, one of South Africa's most remarkable archaeological and historical sites.

It was here, at the Klip Drift diggings, that the first major alluvial diamond rush took place, attracting thousands of prospectors to the Vaal River and setting the stage for the later discoveries around Kimberley.

Today, Barkly West remains one of South Africa's most important alluvial diamond fields and preserves many reminders of those pioneering years.

Du Toit's Pan

In December 1870, children playing near Du Toit's Pan discovered diamonds on their family's farm, Dorstfontein. Within days, another stampede of diggers descended on the area.

The mine took its name from Abraham Paulus du Toit, one of the farm's early owners, whose small house stood beside the shallow pan that still gives the mine its name today (Du Toits Pan is a water-filled pan just south of the mine, from which diamonds were recovered in the 19th century). Du Toit's Pan became one of Kimberley's great diamond mines.

Tragedy Struck in 2026

Five miners tragically died following a catastrophic mud rush and flood at the Ekapa Minerals Mine (Du Toitspan Joint Shaft) in Kimberley, which occurred on February 17, 2026. Specialist rescue teams successfully recovered the bodies of all five missing mineworkers, with the final recoveries concluding on March 23, 2026.

Key details regarding the incident include:

• Date of Incident: The mud rush struck at approximately 00:55, trapping the miners 890 meters underground.
• Recovery Timeline: Following an intense search, the first body was recovered on March 9, the second on March 22, and the final two on March 23, 2026.
• Mine Status: The disaster led to widespread operations being halted, and the company filed for liquidation.

Only two months later, in July 1871, three diamonds were discovered on nearby Colesberg Kopje, only a short distance from the De Beers Mine. News spread rapidly. Thousands of diggers rushed to the site, creating a sprawling mining camp that became known simply as New Rush.

As thousands of individual claims were worked by hand, the small hill gradually disappeared beneath an enormous excavation. That excavation became the Kimberley Mine, today known throughout the world as The Big Hole.

Life on the Diamond Fields

One contemporary digger described the scene:

"The four great mines were roughly circular in shape... each mining camp was composed of a central group of workings surrounded by a ring of shacks, shanties, huts and shelters constructed of any material that would keep off the rain or the scorching heat of the sun."

The camps were crowded, noisy and chaotic. Prospectors, merchants, publicans, engineers and fortune seekers from around the world lived side by side in one of the fastest-growing settlements on Earth.

From New Rush to Kimberley

As the settlement expanded, New Rush gradually absorbed the neighbouring camp of Old De Beers.

In 1873 the British Colonial Office insisted that the growing town receive a more suitable name.

On 5 July 1873, New Rush officially became Kimberley, named after Lord Kimberley, the British Secretary of State for the Colonies. A local newspaper summed up public feeling with the memorable words:

"We went to sleep in New Rush and woke up in Kimberley."

Legacy

The Great Diamond Rush lasted only a few years, but its impact continues to shape South Africa today. It led to the founding of Kimberley, the creation of De Beers, the careers of Cecil Rhodes and Barney Barnato, the development of modern diamond mining and the Mineral Revolution that transformed the country's economy.

What began with two diamonds found beside the Orange River ultimately created one of the world's most famous mining cities.

Did You Know?

The five famous Kimberley mines were not discovered all at once. The rush unfolded like a chain reaction:

1867 – Eureka Diamond discovered near Hopetown

1869 – Star of South Africa discovered (Hopetown)

1870 – Orange and Vaal River alluvial rushes

1870 – Bultfontein Mine discovered

1870 – Dutoitspan Mine discovered

1871 – De Beers Mine discovered

1871 – "New Rush" Kimberley Mine (The Big Hole) discovered

1890 – Wesselton Mine discovered

Each new discovery attracted even more prospectors, until Kimberley became the largest diamond mining centre in the world.