Botswana Diamonds PLC Update on PL 260 in Orapa (4030N)
October 25 2016 - 6:06AM
UK Regulatory
TIDMBOD
RNS Number : 4030N
Botswana Diamonds PLC
25 October 2016
25(th) October 2016
Botswana Diamonds PLC
("Botswana Diamonds" or the "Company")
Update on PL 260 in Orapa
Highlights
-- A diamond has been found in the early stage of the
re-analysis by Alrosa specialists of concentrate from Large
Diameter Drilling on kimberlite pipe AK21 on PL 260. It is a 1mm
octahedron-shaped diamond.
-- Drilling AK22 on Prospecting Licence PL 260 in Orapa has encountered fresh kimberlite.
New Diamond Discovered
As previously announced, two Large Diameter Drillholes (LDD)
were completed on AK21 on Licence PL 260 in April 2016. Eighty
tonnes of samples were sent to a processing facility in South
Africa. Control microdiamonds were included in the material, in
line with best practice to detect inefficacies in the processing
plant.
The results from the laboratory demonstrated that test work was
insufficiently robust as no diamonds were recovered, not even the
control diamonds. Accordingly Botswana Diamonds recovered the
concentrate from the processing facility and re-analysed it using
Alrosa mineralogists, who travelled from Russia to Botswana.
The first 20kg re-analysed produced a 1mm octahedron diamond -
this was a newly discovered diamond and not one of the control
stones. A further 60kg of sample is currently being analysed.
Core Hole Drilling
Drilling is ongoing on PL 260. Two core holes are targeting pipe
AK22. Fresh, virgin kimberlite has been discovered. The objective
of these two holes is to compare the mineralogy with the results
obtained from historical drilling. Core from these holes will be
initially analysed in Letlhakane, Botswana, by Alrosa mineralogists
and then sent to St. Petersburg, Russia, for detailed
evaluation.
John Teeling, chairman, commented "The Alrosa/BOD joint venture
identified licence PL 260 in Orapa as having strong potential. It
had already identified anomalies which deserved attention.
Moreover, historical drilling had found several diamonds, albeit
not yet enough to be commercial grade.
We now believe that there is commercial potential, so we have
undertaken both a core hole and a LDD hole programme. The discovery
of a 1mm diamond in the first 20kg of material is a positive
development as we now know there are diamonds in the pipe. We have
more work to do on the material.
The current core hole drilling is on a known kimberlite, AK 22,
which is close to AK 21. We have intersected the pipe and are
pleased with the material being recovered.
________________________________________________________________________________
_
This release has been approved by Benjamin Mosigi, MSc (Mineral
Exploration and Mining Geology), who is a member of the Geological
Society of South Africa.
________________________________________________________________________________
_
This announcement contains inside information for the purposes
of Article 7 of Regulation 596/2014.
Enquiries:
Botswana Diamonds PLC
John Teeling, Chairman +353 1 833 2833
Jim Finn, Director
Dipti Mehta
Northland Capital Partners
Limited
David Hignell/Gerry Beaney
(Corporate Finance) +44 (0) 203 861 6625
John Howes (Broking)
Dowgate Capital Stockbrokers
Limited
Jason Robertson +44 (0) 129 351 7744
Blytheweigh +44 (0) 207 138 3204
Camilla Horsfall +44 (0) 781 784 1793
Nick Elwes +44 (0) 7831 851 855
Rachael Brooks
Jonathan Garfield
PSG Plus
Colm Heatley +353 (0) 1 661 4055
Alan Tyrrell +353 (0) 1 661 4055
www.botswanadiamonds.co.uk
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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