Botswana Diamonds says it completed initial fieldwork on schedule and on budget at its Prospecting License (PL) 117 site in Orapa, Botswana.
The area was identified as the highest level priority target by the company's partner, Russian diamond miner, Alrosa.
Company chairperson John Teeling said in a statement that the results show scope for discovery of new kimberlite pipes, particularly in the north of the block.
“Two drill targets have already been identified and we anticipate that further drill targets will be identified as the second batch of mineralogical samples is fully analysed over the coming months,” he said.
“A specific drilling programme will then target areas of highest potential.”
Botswana Diamonds said a combined team of senior geologists and geophysicists from both companies undertook an intensive work programme to identify drill targets on the license area. Innovative magnetic and electromagnetic geophysical surveys were conducted, and a new map of the magnetic field revealed.
In addition, heavy mineral sampling was carried out. Some of these samples have already been analysed at Alrosa’s laboratory in St Petersburg, Russia.
A second, larger batch of samples is currently on its way to Russia for priority mineralogical analysis. ”We shall await the conclusion of the Alrosa analysis on the second batch of samples, and then we will launch our drill program. We are also becoming increasingly bullish on some areas apart from PL117,” said Teeling.
“We were confident that bringing Alrosa to Botswana would be a positive move, and I am delighted that this view is already being vindicated.”
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
