Carlsbad, Calif. - The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) plans to open a laboratory in Gaborone, Botswana, sometime in the fourth quarter, National Jeweler has learned.

Following the lab's opening at the end of the year, the GIA plans to have educational classes up and running at the lab in the first quarter of 2009.

Located in South Africa, Botswana was the world's top diamond-producing country in 2007 in terms of value, with about $3 billion in diamond production, 24 percent of the world's total, according to the Kimberley Process Statistical Data Base.

And Botswana ranked second in the world in terms of diamond volume produced, with 33,638,000 carats or 20 percent of world's total, a volume that places it second only to the Russian Federation.

Botswana is known worldwide for having been able to use its diamond supply to the benefit of its people. The country has a growing diamond-manufacturing community staffed mostly by local citizens.

GIA Laboratory and Research Senior Vice President Tom Moses said in a statement that the GIA has hired more than 20 local staff, to whom they will offer scholarships, education and training.

"We believe GIA reports will help add value to the high-quality diamonds being mined and now cut in Botswana, and our office in the Diamond Technology Park will serve the industry there and the people of Botswana," he said.

With the opening of the new facility in Botswana, the GIA with have a total of four labs outside the United States: in Gaborone; Mumbai, India; Bangkok, Thailand and Johannesburg, South Africa.

In addition, the GIA has take-in services in Hong Kong and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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