The Big Hole – a former diamond mine in Kimberley, dug to 240 m (790 ft) between 1871 and 1914, making it the deepest hand-excavated pit in the world. Now a museum.
The Jagersfontein Mine – operating between 1888 and 1971. This was hand-excavated to 201 m (660 ft) by 1911, and the hand-dug pit was sightly larger than the Big Hole.
The Palabora Open Pit – mechanically excavated by Palabora Mining Company, in Phalaborwa, Limpopo Province. The pit is 898m deep and 1846m across on top.[5]