Tech helps Botswana Diamonds identify five kimberlite targets
Pioneering geophysical work undertaken by Aim-listed Botswana Diamonds has identified kimberlite pipes buried at shallow depth on the company’s Thorny River prospect, in South Africa's Limpopo province.
The company says the targets identified are similar to the pipe that constituted the high-grade and famous De Beers Marsfontein mine, in so much as the pipe had little surface indication, owing to dolerite rock cover, but grew and swelled below the dolerite.
Botswana Diamonds says much of the Thorny River area’s geology is comprised of a dolerite dyke swarm.
Conventional geophysical techniques have been unable to detect kimberlites under the dolerite including those that are deeper seated. Subterrane – a partner of Botswana Diamonds using its proprietary technology – enables the company to explore geophysical anomalies beneath the dolerite and those that are buried.
This could lead to the discovery of kimberlites similar to Marsfontein. So far, Subterrane has identified five such target areas within the Thorny River project area.
Botswana Diamonds chairperson John Teeling commented that it had been long held that there should be high-grade kimberlite pipes other than the Marsfontein mine in the Thorny River area.
“The geology made the discovery difficult; however, new geophysical technologies try to see through the dense dolorite cover. The company pioneering the work, Subterrane, believe they have identified five likely targets to be kimberlites.
“We are working to better define where to drill. The targets are shallow and therefore will not be expensive to drill.”
Article Enquiry
Email Article
Save Article
Feedback
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
Your global lifecycle technology & service partner for materials & minerals processing equipment for coal, iron ore, copper, manganese & other...
VISIT SHOWROOM
For over 30 years, Werner South Africa Pumps & Equipment (PTY) LTD has been designing, manufacturing, supplying and maintaining specialist...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
