Deep inside Jwaneng, the world's richest diamond mine in southern Botswana, Tshepo Kgomokhumo drives his massive truck through piles of rocks forming a lunar-like landscape. His job is to ferry away ton after ton of unwanted rocks while a small army of bulldozers near him tears into the earth's crust in search of the precious stones. "I'm a soldier for my country," Kgomokhumo says. For him, as well as many others in this small, arid country, diamonds are a source of both income and pride. The economy of Botswana, a landlocked country in southern Africa, has been transformed by diamonds. Since their discovery in late 1960s, the development of the country has been built on the gems buried deep in its soil.
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De Beers is moving its rough diamond trading operation to Botswana
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The move is expected to boost the country's booming diamond industry
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Diamonds have helped turn Botswana into one of Africa's most prosperous countries
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Officials say they are aware that diamonds are exhaustible
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