Kleinzee

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Geography and History

Kleinzee and Koringnaas are small diamond mining towns on the west coast of the Northern Cape province in South Africa, owned by De Beers. They are located in the arid Namaqualand region, 100 km (60 mi) west of the regional capital Springbok. The Buffels River "flows" through Kleinzee, but most of the time it is just a dry river bed and this river only actually flows approximately every ten years. Its population size generally consisted of around 2,000 residents, but was considerably reduced by the down-scaling of mining activities in 2009

The Diamond Coast, as the area has become known, holds a beauty and mystique of its own with its cultural diversity and mineral mining. Kleinzee and Koringnaas, and the diamond mines that support them, offer an interesting insight into the lifestyle of the modern miner.

Activities

4x4 and Mine Tours - There are different packages on offer that include routes through pristine strandveld, a shipwreck tour, the Buffels River Grace’s Put route and a mine tour showing the workings of a modern alluvial diamond mine. Only for prearranged group bookings.

Kleinzee Museum - An informative museum - The Kleinzee museum covers the history of diamond mining, the natural environment and history of humankind in the area. This is an area with diverse attractions.

Kleinzee Nature Reserve - Host to over 100 indigenous plant species.

Seal Colony - A resident colony of more than 450 000 animals on the admiralty is protected by the adjacent mining area.