JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Dual-listed miner DiamondCorp’s first diamond sale from its Lace mine, in the Free State, has been scheduled for October, when tunnel and initial slot drive tonnage would have provided a sufficiently representative parcel of kimberlite diamonds.
The result of initial diamond sales along with controlled bulk test results from the kimberlite tunnel development would provide the required information for release of an updated resource statement, the company said in a statement to shareholders on Tuesday.
It further noted that underground tunnel development at the Lace mine was still proceeding slower than planned in fractured ground close to old workings.
“Some zones, particularly on the eastern side of the pipe have been found to contain kimberlite of a quite friable nature. This has reduced the rate of advance and installing additional support, particularly at tunnel cross cuts in the kimberlite, will continue to impact on the development timetable,” it highlighted.
The miner also noted that the ground conditions would be a positive for fragmentation and caving when mining starts.
Additional antirollback idlers for the underground conveyor belt system to meet new Department of Mineral Resources requirements have started to arrive on site, with installation under way.
The majority of the installation was expected to be completed during September, ahead of the ramp-up in commercial production from the Upper K4 mining block during the fourth quarter.