BlueRock Diamonds says it processed 41,000 tonnes of ore in August from the main pit at Kareevlei Diamond Mine in South Africa and the diamonds mined had a significantly improved average grade of 5.1 cpht.
“As anticipated, now that we are operating again in the Main Pit's main kimberlite zone with minimal dilution, the grade of the diamonds mined and processed in August 2020 has recovered materially to 5.1 cpht compared to H1 2020 which averaged grades of 3.0 cpht,” said BlueRock executive chairperson Mike Houston.
“The grade now stands well above our current internal target of 4.0 cpht.”
He said the increase in grade had a significant impact on the operations in what remains a challenging environment.
“Most importantly it lowers the cost per carat significantly and provides more operational flexibility,” said Houston.
“It should be noted however, that as diamonds are not a homogenous resource, grades may vary as we mine in different parts of the pit.”
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
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