Botswana Diamonds Recovers Marsfontein Macro-Diamonds

Staff Writer | Monday June 1, 2020 09:07

 

Botswana Diamonds Recovers Marsfontein Macro-Diamonds

The diamond explorer was pleased to announce that the company has concluded the processing of two bulk samples taken from the Marsfontein diamond development project in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The samples comprised 58-tonnes of fresh high-interest kimberlite and 62-tonnes of kimberlitic material from one of the residual stockpiles, known as ‘Dump E’. 

According to the managing director 

James Campbell, the bulk sampling campaign, which was carried out with the company’s royalty mining contractor, Eurafrican Diamond Corporation, had two objectives. 

'The first was to test the grade of the fresh kimberlite and the second was to confirm the grades of one of the mine dumps.

Both were achieved, and proof of the fresh kimberlite grade paves the way for further exploration work on Marsfontein to target potential blows. The kimberlite grade is aligned with those achieved at Klipspringer mine and Thorny River, which are both nearby, indicating the considerable extent of the kimberlite dyke system,' he said. 

Campbell further noted that options would be investigated on exploitation of the dumps once the nationwide lockdown in South 

Africa is lifted and a sense of normalcy returns to diamond markets, post the global COVID-19 crisis.

The fresh kimberlite was identified as originating from the M8 dyke system, which extends to the Klipspringer 

diamond mine C, 11km to the west and the company’s Thorny River project to C, 5km to the east. The Dump E material was predominantly a mix of M8 kimberlite and dolerite.

'Both samples were treated at Eurafrican Diamond Corporation’s processing facility. They were subjected to primary and secondary crushing, pan plant concentration, grease and x-ray recovery and jigging with a nominal bottom cut-off of +1.7mm. These tailings have been retained for future analyses, as required.'

Further, Interlaced Consulting undertook the grade modelling. It assumed a conventional kimberlite processing plant, including a re-crush circuit (to recover more finer diamonds). 

Modelled results determined are in line with previous estimates and diamond recoveries from the nearby 

Klipspringer diamond mine. 

'Work will re-commence at Marsfontein and Thorny River as soon as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted to enable travel to the work areas.'