De Beers has introduced a new subsea diamond recovery crawler aboard Debmarine Namibia’s Benguela Gem, marking its most advanced marine mining system to date.
Developed over four years by Upstream Technology in Cape Town, the 370-tonne crawler is built to increase recovery efficiency by about 20 percent, enabling the vessel to fully utilise its treatment plant. A second crawler is under construction to ensure continuous operations during servicing.
Operating at depths of 100–135 metres, the machine sweeps a 21-metre arc in 25 seconds, drawing diamond-bearing gravel through an 800 mm pipeline. Key innovations include hydraulic track-tensioning for reduced wear, forward-looking sonar for precise seabed imaging, and advanced automation for more consistent performance.
With this upgrade, De Beers is positioning the crawler as a platform for future subsea diamond recovery, designed for greater productivity and reliability in challenging conditions.
