Lucara Diamond said its 100 percent-owned Karowe mine in Botswana is set to treat between 2.3-2.5 million tonnes of ore, producing over 400,000 carats of diamonds in 2015.
The mine was also expected to process material largely from stockpile during the first quarter of 2015 as the plant modifications to treat the harder, higher yield south lobe ore are planned for commissioning and completion during Q2 2015.
Lucara said in a statement emailed to Rough & Polished that diamond revenue was forecast at $230-$240 million in 2015 from the sale of 400,000-420,000 carats of diamond.
“The sale of diamonds in the first half of 2015, largely from stockpiles includes a higher proportion of north lobe diamonds, and therefore it is forecast that sales in the first half of the year may be of a lower value,” said the company.
“It is expected that the final six months of the year will include a significantly higher proportion of the higher value south lobe once the commissioning of the plant optimization program is complete.”
Lucara chief executive William Lamb said the company had a successful year in 2014, generating strong cash flows through the achievement of its production targets at lower than forecast operating costs and from significant revenues generated from the sale of its large and exceptional diamonds during the year.
"Following the completion of the plant optimization project, Karowe will focus extensively on processing material from the South Lobe,” he said.
“It will be an exciting second half of 2015 based on the South Lobe diamonds, which have historically achieved stronger diamond valuations at our tenders and have contained a high population of specials (+10.8 carats).“
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
