The Changma Diamond District, Mengyin

Since the early 1960s, Chinese geologists have conducted extensive exploration for diamonds. One of their most important discoveries to date is the Changma kimberlite district in Shandong Province, which encompasses two pipes and eight dikes.

The 701 Changma mine has historically been China's largest producer - producing over 1 Mct over the last 27 years. The most active mine currently, the Victory No. 1, produces approximately 6,000 ct of diamonds annually, 20% of which are gem quality. The ore is processed locally and the rough stones are given a preliminary sort before they are sent to special factories for cutting. Large, good-quality stones have been recovered at Changma; the largest to date weighs more than 119 ct.