Petra Diamonds said production at Williamson, an alluvial diamond mine, in Tanzania was low during the first half of the financial year 2012.
It said the mine produced 2,587 carats during the period under review when compared with 10,847 carats the prior year and 18,663 carats during the six months ended 30 June 2011.
Petra said it had anticipated lower alluvial production at the mine due to the depletion of available alluvial gravels and further to the power and water constraints previously reported.
It said there was also no treatment of main pit material at the mine as planned.
Petra noted that the rebuilding of the existing 3 Mtpa plant at Williamson had been completed, adding that commissioning commenced towards the end of January 2012.
Limited throughput, it said, was expected during February and March and the plant should be fully operational from April onwards.
Meanwhile, Petra said it sold 5,044 carats from the mine worth $1.5 million during the period under review.
The company generated $2 million from the sale of 7,722 carats in the prior year.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
