Botswana's Damtshaa diamond mine, which has been shut since the beginning of 2009 following the global financial crisis, is on track to open in the first quarter of 2012, the Mmegi.bw news site reports.

A team has reportedly been set up at Damtshaa and is receiving support from the management of the Orapa and Letlhakane mines. Engineer George Togara said that the working plan called for Damtshaa to undergo repair and recommissioning over the course of 2011 and work up to full production by the start of the 2012 production year.

In 2008, the mine's last full operating year, Damtshaa produced 500,000 carats of rough diamonds.

Debswana has set production targets of 27 million carats for 2011 and 30 million carats for 2012, after which it will cap production in line with its new policy of keeping resources of diamonds in the ground in an attempt to extend its mines' lifespan.

Debswana's diamond production topped out at 34 million carats in 2006, a number which dropped to 32 million carats in 2008. The following year, due to the financial crisis, production dropped nearly 50% to 17.7 million carats.