Cullinan — The world's premier diamond mining house, De Beers, is selling all its property in Cullinan and has put its mining operations on the market to bidding consortiums.

"The future of Cullinan is now a template to be re-designed by its private stakeholders and whoever wins the mine bid," said the Gauteng Provincial Government's Dinokeng Blue IQ Project.

De Beers Investments is a South African diamond mining, holding and financial company which operates several diamond mines in the country.

De Beers manages 18 mines in four countries and is responsible, with its partners De Beers Marine, Nandeb in Namibia and Debswana in Botswana, for more than 50 percent of world gem diamond production.

The mine in Cullinan is still in operation although it was previously closed off to the public.

There are already a number of exciting new developments, particularly the recent opening of the diamond mine for underground tours.

However, after years of canvassing by local game farm owner and eco-trial guide Byron Phitides, the mine is now opened for visitors.

Part of the tour is a surface drive on the mine in a jeep, a surreal journey through the extensive, lunar-like dumps.

Visitors also look into the huge gaping hole, which four times the size of the Kimberley hole, where diamonds were found richly encrusted in a pipe of volcanic kimberlite rock at the turn of the 20th century.

The tour also includes a stopover in the Historic Room, containing a fascination jumble of old mining machines and instruments and sepia-toned photographs.

To complete the experience, Mr Phitides has restored an old tram, which takes visitors to and from the mineshaft, passing along Oak Avenue, a charming street, lined with museums, arty shops and tea gardens.

The tram also passes the old Mchardy museum, Aldebran Studio, a unique art gallery built by Marcella de Boom and the Recreation Club which was built in 1912.

De Beers and its associated companies play a pivotal role in the world diamond industry.

Although its amazing safety innovations make it well worth a visit, Cullinan is renowned for having produced a fourth of the world's diamonds.

The mine also employs about 1200 people from the community and beyond.