Lucapa Diamond has recovered 45 diamonds weighing 30.3 carats from the ongoing kimberlite exploration programme at its 40%-owned Lulo diamond project, in Angola.
The kimberlite exploration programme was designed to discover the primary hard-rock sources of the alluvial diamonds being mined along the Cacuilo River valley, which have achieved exceptional average run-of-mine sale prices of about $1,900 per carat.
Image credit: Lucapa Diamond
The company said the stones recovered included eight diamonds weighing more than 1 carat and three diamonds weighing over 2 carats, the largest being 3.75 carats.
Preliminary assessment of the diamonds on a Yehuda colorimeter has classified seven diamonds as top D-colour gems, it said.
“The bulk sample was considered heavily-diluted due to the quite narrow gravel seams identified and the near-record rainfall hampering excavation, which resulted in a grade of 1.62 carats per 100m3,” it said.
“The results confirm the Canguige catchment contains a diamondiferous kimberlite contributing to the high-value alluvial deposits downstream along the Cacuilo River valley.
“Significantly, five of the 16 kimberlite pipes rated in the technical review as being the most prospective to host diamonds are located within the Canguige catchment.”
Lucapa said the Hanjin drilling rig had been mobilised to the Canguige catchment area and has already commenced delineation drilling of the five kimberlite pipes regarded the most prospective to host diamonds.
The drilling seeks to better define the structure of the kimberlite pipes and to define near-surface volcaniclastic kimberlite material suitable to test for diamonds.
The two other priority targets identified in the review will also be drilled to confirm the presence of kimberlite, it said.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
