Octéa Diamond, formerly Koidu Holdings, has opened its flagship mine’s new 180 tonne per hour processing plant, which will lift diamond output from 10 000 carats per month to 45 000 carats per month during the third quarter of this year.
Mining Weekly reports that the mine’s current defined indicated and inferred resource was more than 14-million tonnes at grades ranging from 0.32 to 0.76 carats a tonne.
An additional 3.7-million tonnes of kimberlite was drilled and classified as geological potential, which would be upgraded into the resource statement in the next phase of resource extension and evaluation.
Octéa chief executive Jan Joubert said the implementation of the Koidu expansion project would enable the company to generate a healthy return on capital.
“Even during economic downturns the 180 t/h mine configuration should generate a return and while the current life-of-mine plan is for 15 years, we believe it could be extended by at least another 10 to 15 years,” he said.
Joubert said that Octéa was targeting an annual output of two-million carats by 2018.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
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