RNS Number:5035F
Firestone Diamonds PLC
14 February 2000


   Firestone reports exploration results from Botswana
  Raises approximately #1.47 million in share placement

Firestone  Diamonds plc, ("Firestone" or "the  Company"),
(FDI.L)  the  UK-based  diamond  mining  and  exploration
company, today announces initial results from exploration
at  its new Mopipi South joint venture license area, part
of  the  Company's 2,000 square kilometre Mopipi project,
which is located about 50 kilometres west of the De Beers
Orapa Mine in Botswana.

Aerial  photography, satellite imagery  and  aeromagnetic
data  have  been  acquired for the 900  square  kilometre
Mopipi   South  area,  and  initial  interpretation   and
analysis has been completed.  This work has identified  a
number   of   high   priority  target  areas   containing
geological   structures  and  features   which   may   be
associated with potential kimberlitic occurrences.

An  extensive soil sampling programme covering the entire
Mopipi  South area is also being carried out  to  recover
and  evaluate  kimberlitic indicator  minerals,  and  the
initial  phase  of sampling in the high  priority  target
areas has been completed.  This work has resulted in  the
identification  of  several areas with  high  kimberlitic
indicator  mineral  anomalies.   These  areas   will   be
subjected  to further detailed soil sampling to  identify
the  sources  of the indicator mineral anomalies  and  to
select potential new drilling targets.

Exploration  work  carried out in  1999  by  the  Company
elsewhere   at  the  Mopipi  project  resulted   in   the
identification  of  a number of clusters  of  significant
kimberlitic  indicator mineral anomalies  which  coincide
with  aerial  photo and aeromagnetic anomalies,  and  the
recovery  of  diamonds  from soil  samples.   Geochemical
analysis  of the indicator minerals confirmed  that  they
are  derived  from diamond-bearing kimberlite.   The  new
results from Mopipi South provide further evidence of the
presence  of  diamondiferous  kimberlite  in  the  Mopipi
region, and the Company continues to be encouraged  about
the  indications  for the discovery of a  new  kimberlite
field.

Firestone also announces that it has raised #1,469,476 by
a  placing of 5,877,905 new Ordinary Shares of  20  pence
each  in the Company at 25 pence each.  Application  will
be  made for the new shares to be admitted to trading  on
the  Alternative  Investment Market of the  London  Stock
Exchange, and it is expected that the new shares will  be
admitted to trading on February 18th, 2000.  The proceeds
of  the  placing will be used for general working capital
and  other  purposes, including the  development  of  the
Company's portfolio of exploration and mining projects.


As  was reported in December, Firestone also continues to
investigate  a  number  of opportunities  to  expand  its
portfolio  of  diamond  projects, both  through  internal
development  and  acquisition.  These investigations  are
continuing and the Company expects to update shareholders
on developments in the near future.


Background information
Firestone  mines  and  explores  for  diamonds   in   the
Namaqualand  region  of South Africa,  one  of  the  most
prolific  alluvial diamond producing areas in the  world,
and  explores  for  diamonds in Botswana,  which  is  the
largest  diamond  producer  in  the  world,  with  annual
production worth over $1.6 billion, accounting  for  over
23%  of  worldwide production.  The Company operates  the
Avontuur  Mine  in Namaqualand, and its main  exploration
projects   are   the  Groen  River  Valley   project   in
Namaqualand   and   the  Mopipi  project   in   Botswana.
Firestone  is  quoted  on  the  London  Stock  Exchange's
Alternative Investment Market (AIM).   Announcements  and
other  information  on  Firestone are  available  on  the
Company's website at www.firestonediamonds.com.

For further information:

Philip Kenny, Firestone Diamonds plc
  020-7370-6452 / 0831-324-645

Keith Irons, Bankside Consultants
  0585-356-639

END

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