As a fair proportion of the world's gem-quality diamonds originates from here, the coastal strip between Oranjemund and Lüderitz is also known as Namibia‘s “Diamond Coast”. What began in 1908 with the discovery of a few glittering stones by a railway worker at Kolmanskop near Lüderitz has since developed into one of the largest and most remarkable mining operations in history. But as the once fabulously rich onshore resources dwindle and mining shifts offshore and to the seabed, the area also becomes known for its unique landscapes of which the relics of former mining activities form an integral part.