Rockwell’s new SA diamond mine to produce 1200 ct/month

Rockwell Diamonds said it will produce 1200 carats a month at its newly acquired alluvial mine in South Africa, Tirisano.
"We are looking at an expansion to Tirisano. We are still at a ramping-up stage. It’s going to be a gradual process," company chief executive James Campbell said.
"With the completion of the acquisition, and having completed the new processing and recovery facilities and mining schedule as well as having replaced management, we are well on our way to establishing a second profitable and long-life operation."
Rockwell said although diamond grades at Tirisano were disappointing in the first months after commissioning, higher than expected prices were paid for the first stones, chiefly as a result of higher than expected recoveries of +10 carat stones.
Production at Tirisano during the quarter totaled 1,244 carats from 153,099 cubic meters of gravel processed, it said.
The diamond miner said sales, which included the product that was acquired when the acquisition became effective, amounted to 1,625 carats at an average price of $783 per carat.

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