Success Story

Diamonds Are A Thief's Best Friend

Namdeb Diamond Corporation operates in a highly sensitive mining environment in Oranjemund, Namibia. Located near the mouth of the Orange River, the town exists solely because of diamond mining and sits within one of the richest alluvial diamond fields in the world.

Open bedrock mine with mobile cameras alongside

Mining diamonds from exposed bedrock requires constant monitoring. Diamonds are often visible to the naked eye, making theft a persistent risk. Organized crime syndicates target workers, and traditional security methods fall short in such vast and remote conditions.

Challenge

The mine’s security team needed a way to:

Track workers operating on exposed bedrock
Detect unauthorized access during nighttime or fog
Monitor wide areas remotely and reliably

Close up of miners in the open mine at bedrock

Despite strict access control and personnel screening, illegal diamond extraction methods continued. Workers hid stones, attempted retrieval at night, or were pressured by outside groups to smuggle diamonds.

Solution

Timeless Technologies, together with FLIR Systems, delivered a robust solution tailored for Namdeb’s operating environment.

1. Mobile thermal imaging stations

Thermal imaging cameras, mounted on solar-powered trailers, were deployed directly on the bedrock zones. These mobile systems provided full flexibility to relocate as mining zones shifted.

Close up picture of mobile camera station 2

Close up picture of mobile camera station

Each unit includes:

FLIR SR-100 thermal cameras for night and low-visibility monitoring
Standard CCTV cameras for daytime use
Pan tilt units for full situational coverage

2. Durable custom housing

To survive intense coastal weather, the cameras are enclosed in custom-built Stainless Steel 316 housings, designed and manufactured locally.

Picture of camera body opened showing internal components

Each housing is fitted with a germanium window to ensure high image clarity while protecting sensitive thermal optics.

3. Real-time oversight and control

All systems are linked through wireless relays and fiber optic lines to a centralized control room. Live monitoring and remote camera control allow fast response when suspicious behaviour is detected.

Thermal pic of miners in open mine (further away)

4. Long-range protection

Thermal imaging is also deployed on high masts at strategic locations such as entrance and exit zones. These PTZ systems monitor “no-man’s land” areas where attempts are made to smuggle diamonds across the perimeter.

Even extreme theft attempts, such as shooting arrows filled with diamonds across the secured zone, are now detected before they succeed.

Tinus and client standing next to thermal cameras

client standing in newly installed control room

Impact

With these systems in place, Namdeb has achieved:

Faster detection of threats
Higher recovery rate of stolen goods
Reduced reliance on fencing and patrols
Improved safety and fairness for workers
Lower maintenance and greater uptime due to rugged, passive cooled cameras

The design allows Namdeb to monitor vast, remote locations under tough weather conditions without compromise.

Beyond Mining

The project also inspired new ideas. With the help of Timeless Technologies, Namdeb’s security team is now exploring thermal imaging for wildlife observation and ecological monitoring in nearby conservation areas.