Lesotho Water and diamonds are Lesotho's significant natural resources. Water is used through the 21-year, multibillion-dollar Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), under the authority of the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority. The project commenced in 1986. The LHWP is designed to capture, store, and transfer water from the Orange River system to South Africa's Free State and greater Johannesburg area, which features a large concentration of South African industry, population, and agriculture. Completion of the first phase of the project has made Lesotho almost completely self-sufficient in the production of electricity and generated approximately US$70 million in 2010 from the sale of
Geology of Lesotho yield and frequent springs. Steep terrain, rain and snow melt mean that Lesotho has a high risk of landslides. Lesotho has extensive diamond deposits in both kimberlites and alluvial gravel. The country has the highest concentration of kimberlite bodies in the world—a total of more than 400, including 343 dikes, 39 pipes and 23 blows. Northern Lesotho has an average of one kimberlite body for every 10 square kilometers. In spite of the large deposits, very few sites are mined and research is ongoing into alluvial deposits. The Karoo Supergroup hosts low-grade uranium and likely coal and coal-bed methane, although