Lucara Diamonds has so far this year exceeded all production targets at its wholly-owned Karowe Mine in Botswana, according to the company’s chief executive William Lamb.
No figures were provided.
However, the company is targeting to produce from 360,000 to 400,000 carats in the financial year 2025.
It expects to mine between 1.8 and 2.2 million tonnes of combined ore and water in the financial year 2025.
Lucara said stockpiled material (North, Centre, South Lobe) from working stockpiles and life-of-mine stockpiles should provide uninterrupted mill feed until 2027 when Karowe underground project development ore is scheduled to start offsetting stockpiles with high-grade ore from the underground development.
Full-scale underground production is planned for the first half of 2028.
Lucara chief executive William Lamb said the company's strategic focus on the underground mining project showed significant advancement, with shaft depths reaching new records.
“Further, our innovative extraction technologies are once again proving the quality of the resource through the recovery of two exceptional diamonds larger than 1,000 carats, including the epic 2,488-carat diamond and the 1,094-carat diamond,” he said.
“We have also demonstrated substantial progress in reducing operational costs and improving sustainable mining practices.”
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor-In-Chief, Rough & Polished
