Elizabeth Bay | |
|---|---|
Ghost town | |
 | |
  Elizabeth Bay Location in Namibia | |
| Coordinates: 26°54′58″S 15°11′02″E / 26.91611°S 15.18389°E | |
| Country |  Namibia |
| Region | ǁKaras Region |
| Constituency | Lüderitz Constituency |
| Population | |
| • Total | 0 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (South African Standard Time) |
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.
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]