Stellar Diamonds said bulk sampling diamond grade results from the Lion-5 kimberlite dyke at its Kono project, in Sierra Leone is “encouraging”.
It said in a statement seen by Rough&Polished that it extracted some 243.8 carats from the sample for a +1mm in-situ dry grade of 70.39 carats per hundred tonnes (cpht).
Over 60 percent of the diamonds recovered were classified as gem quality, with the five largest stones recovered weighing 4.45ct, 3.22ct, 3.07ct, 3.00ct and 2.57ct, it said.
“The dyke forms part of an extensive swarm of kimberlite dykes that run from the Stellar licence areas into the adjacent mine lease held by Koidu Holdings, which is embarking on a $150million mine expansion programme,” said Stellar chief executive Karl Smithson.
“The kimberlite grade of 70cpht is consistent with our previous trial mining results from the Pol-K and Bardu kimberlites at Kono, where we previously recovered 4,200 carats of good quality diamond from our established 50 tonne per hour DMS plant.”
Mathew Nyaungwa, Rough&Polished, from Cape Town, South Africa
Exclusive
Vladimir Pilyushin: The jewelry market is not stand-alone and moves by the same laws as other markets
Vladimir Pilyushin is editor-in-chief of Russian Jeweler, a leading magazine about the jewelry industry in Russia. He told Rough&Polished about his view on the evolution of the jewelry industry in Russia and touched upon some of its problems.
16 september 2024
Sarine’s David Block: Diamond Industry at Standstill Until Chinese Demand Returns
David Block is CEO of Israel’s Sarine Technologies and has served in the position since 2012. In this exclusive interview for Rough and Polished, Block gives his opinion on the leading issues affecting today’s diamond trade.
11 september 2024
Dr M'zée Fula Ngenge: Demand for considerable-sized diamonds stronger than ever
The African Diamond Council (ADC) chairperson Dr M'zée Fula Ngenge told Rough & Polished’s Mathew Nyaungwa in an exclusive interview that although overall global diamond prices have been somewhat soft, the demand for considerable-sized diamonds...
02 september 2024
Amplats sees prospects as a standalone company
Anglo has revealed its plans to demerge Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), which has operations in South Africa and Zimbabwe, to optimise shareholder value. Rough&Polished contacted Amplats to comment on this and other issues but was referred...
19 august 2024
WFDB President Yoram Dvash Remains Confident Despite Global Diamond Challenges
Yoram Dvash is President of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) having been elected in 2020. He found time in his busy schedule to speak to Rough&Polished about the state of the diamond industry around the world and some of the major...
12 august 2024
