Lucapa Diamond has recovered a further 4.6 carats following the reprocessing of 240 cubic metres (m3) of uncrushed oversize and dense media separation (DMS) tailings material from L164 kimberlite in Angola.
It said kimberlite 164 had previously produced 97 diamonds totalling 110.7 carats from three bulk samples.
With the latest recovery, the total number of diamonds unearthed from the kimberlite has gone up to 115 diamonds.
Lucapa said the material, which had undergone weathering during the wet season, was checked for additional locked-up diamonds and recovered four, the largest being 1.99 carats.
The other diamonds weighed 1.5, 0.7 and 0.5 carats.
“While L164 is of economic interest and further samples will be taken from this target later in the programme, the immediate focus is on sampling kimberlites closer to the Cacuilo River which is considered more likely to be the major sources of the diamonds being found in the Cacuilo’s alluvial deposits,” the miner said.
Lucapa chief executive Nick Selby said the exploration programme was back in full flow and gaining access to the areas that were previously inaccessible due to the wet ground conditions.
“The preparation work is well underway for accessing kimberlite L014, from which we will be doing the necessary delineation drilling and taking bulk samples,” he said.
“Road construction and sample planning are progressing for the other priority targets close to the Cacuilo River.”
Lucapa seeks to increase its stake in the Lulo Kimberlite exploration joint venture to a 51% controlling stake, up from the current 39% share.
State-owned diamond company Endiama currently owns a 51% stake in the Lulo Kimberlite Exploration JV, while the remaining 10% belongs to Rosas & Petalas.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
