JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Following the green light from Sierra Leone National Minerals Agency, London-listed Golden Saint Resources has reported the recovery of several diamonds and gold at its Tongo deposit.

As from April, six more diamonds – 2.77 ct, 1.82 ct, 1 ct, 0.8 ct, 0.53 ct and 0.325 ct – had been recovered from the Tongo stockpile, with 12.8 g of gold recovered to date.

The West Africa-focused diamond development company received formal approval to start bulk sampling at its Tongo licence, in Sierra Leone, after initial examinations of the bulk samples recovered a 0.348 ct diamond.

“In view of recent recoveries, it is likely that the mobile diamond washer Explorer 1 will remain in Tongo [longer than anticipated] for the remainder of the year and continue washing gravel throughout the rainy season. Extraction of gravel in preparation for the rainy season has begun,” the company said in an update to shareholders on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, preparation work was under way for soil sampling to start at Golden Saint’s Baja licence area, which comprised the “priority area one” Baoma region in the Bo district, in Sierra Leone.

The company planned to acquire a second explorer bulk-sampling machine for the area.

A further six diamonds, sized 2.54 ct, 1.3 ct, 0.73 ct, 0.69 ct, 0.30 ct and 0.26 ct, had also been recovered by Golden Saint-sponsored local miners in Zimmi, in Sierra Leone.

The company had, to date, sponsored seven artisanal mining licences for diamonds in the Zimmi region and two artisanal mining licences for gold in the Makali region.

The diamonds recovered in Zimmi and at Tongo would be sent in the next few weeks to Perth for sorting prior to being despatched for cutting and polishing.

Golden Saint had also raised £23 678.40 for general working capital purposes through the issue of 15.8-million new ordinary shares at 15p apiece.