Gvt denies diamond prospecting in Kgalagadi
Zolani Kraai | Friday January 10, 2014 15:37
The Director of Mines in the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Gabotshwarege Tshekiso revealed on Wednesday that the government has not contracted any company to prospect diamonds in Kgalagadi district.
Tshekiso was responding to Mmegi enquiries on diamond prospecting claims made by Paragon Diamond Limited. The company released a statement last year that “its wholly-owned Botswana subsidiary, Kopje (Pty) Ltd, has been issued with the Prospecting Licence 203/2013 for precious stones”.
It stated that the prospecting licence would cover an area of 442km2 centred 20km north of the town of Tsabong.
The announcement was posted on the company website, www.paragondiamonds.com, on November 4, 2013.
Tshekiso denied knowledge of any diamond exploration in Tsabong, adding that his department is not at liberty to disclose information on prospecting activities by private companies awarded licences.
He, however, did add that any information on previous prospecting work could be obtained from Department of Geological Survey.
Mmegi is also reliably informed that follow up drilling programmes in progress, preliminary results and their geological significance in the Tsabong region have not been shared with the residents.
Paragon Diamonds Limited, operating in Lesotho, was awarded the license with effect from October 1, 2013 with the full title document received on October 31, 2013.
The license, according to the statement, is valid until September 30, 2016.
The license can be renewed twice for further periods of two years provided 50 percent of the area is relinquished at each renewal, giving a total validity of seven years.
The license area in question is on the northern flank of the Tsabong kimberlite field, with the closest kimberlite pipe approximately eight kilometres south of the area awarded.
Pangolin Diamonds Corp, formerly Key Gold Holding Inc a diamond exploration and development company, recently announced the discovery of new kimberlites which extend the known field to the northwest.
The company owns 100 percent interest in Tsabong North project, Jwaneng South project, Lorolwane project, Malatswae project and Mmadinare project.
Although the diamond potential of these new kimberlites is to be tested, Paragon stated it is evident one of the bodies found is very large, perhaps greater than 200ha.
The Tsabong Kimberlite Field is remarkable in that it includes many large diatremes, including M1, which at 180ha is one of the largest kimberlite bodies in the world.
The field includes upwards of 60 known kimberlite bodies. The tectonic setting of the Tsabong kimberlites is the same as for the Orapa field, which hosts several major kimberlite mines.
Historical work in the early 1990’s on the western portion of the new Kopje licence area (the ‘T2’ area) recovered kimberlite indicator minerals. The minerals included G9 and G10 garnets, ilmenites, and also a 0,5mm diamond.
This work was completed at a very broad reconnaissance level, and there is considerable scope to follow up these results. In addition, aeromagnetic surveying has identified 10 targets that have not yet been drilled.
The statement further says work will commence with a thorough review of historical results and existing data.
Paragon’s Executive Chairman, Martin Doyle was quoted in the statement saying that the award of this license will complement holdings of historical Kimberlite discoveries.
“I am very familiar with this area and the era of work having been part of the team that discovered the Lekgudu kimberlites to the south west in the 1970’s. The recovery of a diamond in widely spaced soil sampling, less than five kilometres from undrilled magnetic anomalies and on the margin of the extensive Tsabong Kimberlite field is highly significant,” he said.
“Securing this licence is a continuation of Paragon Diamonds’ strategy of applying modern-day sampling protocols to historical discoveries,” Doyle said.
He added that to correctly assess grade and diamond values, they apply a strategy they continue to focus on in Lesotho at their flagship, Lemphane Kimberlite.
The same is done for Kaplamp Lamproite Field in Zambia and now at Tsabong.
“With the recent successful award of a Mining Lease on the Lemphane Kimberlite to our 85 percent owned subsidiary, Meso Diamonds, and the imminent development of that project into a mining operation, the award of this Prospecting License in the highly prospective Tsabong Area is very timely. It further adds to Paragon Diamonds’ pipeline of projects at every stage of development,” Paragon Diamonds Limited managing director, Stephen Grimmer, said in the statement.