JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Aim-listed diamond development company Stellar Diamonds’ Baoulé kimberlite diamond project, in Guinea, was on track for commissioning and processing of the first ore in September this year, CE Karl Smithson said on Monday.

Trial mining of the Baoulé kimberlite pipe was expected to generate early cash flow during the fourth quarter of the year, while also determining the commercial diamond grade and value of the project, which, according to internal company modelling, had the potential to host a significant diamond resource.

"Stellar has made tremendous progress over the past few weeks towards our objective of bringing the Baoulé kimberlite pipe into trial mining.

“Both our Mandala 100 t/h dense media separation (DMS) and the Droujba bulk sampling DMS plants have now been relocated to the Baoulé site and construction of the base camp has also been completed,” Smithson said, adding that the team on the ground had made strong headway with reassembling the plants.

Now that the processing plants and earthmoving machinery had been relocated to Baoulé, stripping of disturbed and previously dug areas of the 5 ha Baoulé kimberlite pipe had started in advance of collection and stockpiling of kimberlite ore.

Meanwhile, Stellar pointed out that the environmental-impact study site visit for the project had also been completed, with the report expected to be issued this month.

Further, Stellar said its projects in Guinea and Sierra Leone were not impacted on by the outbreak of the Ebola virus in a number of West African countries, and that operations were continuing as normal. 

“However, a number of precautionary initiatives to mitigate the risks of the virus occurring have been instigated by the company at its Tongo and Baoulé project sites. The company is monitoring the situation closely to ensure the continued wellbeing of all employees and that of the local communities,” the company highlighted.