Lucara completes pre-sinking at Karowe mine

Lucara Diamond completed shaft pre-sinking at its Karowe mine, in Botswana at the end of February.
Company vice president technical services John Armstrong said each shaft is about 52 metres below the collar.
“The final depth for the ventilation shaft is 730 m below surface, and 767 m below the surface for the production shaft,” he said.
The shaft sinking is set to be complete in 2024 while the ramp-up to production from the underground operation is expected for the second half of 2026.
The underground development will add 13 years to the life of mine.
“The Karowe mine is one of the world’s leading producers of high-value Type IIa diamonds and has produced three +1 000 ct diamonds since 2015, the only mine in recorded history to produce three +1 000 ct diamonds,” he said.
The shaft sinking projects had a one-year delay from the original feasibility schedule.
“However, during the pre-sink, and as the project is transitioning to the main sink, no significant challenges have been encountered thus far,” said Armstrong.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, in Zimbabwe Rough&Polished