JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Samples from the first two drill holes at the J1 kimberlite of the Jwaneng South project, in Botswana, in which diamond-miner DiamondCorp was earning a 77,5% stake, have been sent to Johannesburg for microdiamond recovery and analysis.

The second diamond borehole was recently drilled, intersecting kimberlite from 15,53 m to the end of the hole at a 301-m vertical depth.

Earlier in November, the diamond-miner had reported that the first drill hole, which had been completed to a vertical depth of 340,02 m, had intersected kimberlite from 17 m vertically down the hole to the end of the borehole.

Samples from the holes had been sent to MSA Analytical Laboratories for microdiamond recoveries, after which microdiamond interpretations would be undertaken by independent experts, DiamondCorp said in a statement on Tuesday.

VP3 Geoservices would also undertake petrographic analyses of the differing kimberlites.

“We are pleased that J1 is emerging as a large kimberlite with the potential to host significant volumes of openpittable material. We look forward to updating the market with results from the microdiamond analysis early in 2010,” DiamondCorp CEO Paul Loudon said.

In June, DiamondCorp entered into an exploration joint-venture deal, in terms of which it would earn a 77,5% interest in three exploration licences held by prospecting firm, Geoperspectives, by funding exploration and completing a definitive feasibility studies within five years.

It announced earlier this month that it would raise up to £600 000 to fund exploration at the Jwaneng South project.