First diamonds have been recovered from diamond company Octéa’s Koidu diamond mine expansion project, in Sierra Leone, during the commissioning stage of the new 180 t/h processing plant.

Production is ramping up in the first full month of ore processing during the C5 commissioning phase and the project looks set to become the first diamond mine to be delivered on time and within budget, says Octéa CEO Jan Joubert.
To fund the expansion, which will see a fivefold increase in mining capacity, the company secured $150-million from resource company BSG Resources and jewellery chain Tiffany & Co for the construction of the processing plant and mine infrastructure.

Diamond production will increase from 10 000 ct/m to 45 000 ct/m by the third quarter of this year.
At steady-state production, the Koidu diamond mine will produce 550 000 ct/y, doubling diamond exports from Sierra Leone.
“Recovering over 2 000 ct on the fifth day of the C5 commissioning phase exceeded our expectations,” says Joubert. “Over the next three months, we will increase our production rate to the design capacity of 45 000 ct/m, processing 100 000 t of ore from the K1 and K2 openpits.”
He says the mine has overcome the challenges it faced during mining by implementing the vertical pit support regime and, for the first time since 2007, it was able to process ore from the high-grade K1 kimberlite pipe in May, as set out in the feasibility study depletion plan.
Joubert says it was “rewarding and inspiring” to see the diamonds recovered by the new plant.
“Not only have we met the targets we set ourselves for the implementation of the expansion project and delivered on our commitments to our funding partners, BSG Resources and Tiffany & Co, but we will also be able to continue with the many development programmes we have planned.”
“When I look at these sparkling stones, I don’t only see diamonds bringing returns to government and shareholders, I see new schools, books and learning materials, training programmes, more water boreholes, better roads, large-scale commercial agricultural projects and many other opportunities for us to invest in our community and our employees. “These diamonds enable us to finance the development initiatives that are bringing so much good to the people of Kono and the country.

“Plans are being made to put the proceeds from increased diamond sales into extending the benefits of our development programmes to those in the wider Koidu and Kono communities.”

Koidu chief communications officer Ibrahim Kamara says the impact on the lives of those directly affected by the operations at Koidu has been immeasurable.

“Having access to clean tap water is a luxury in Sierra Leone. Our Water for Life project provides this basic necessity free for all those in the Kimbadu resettle- ment village,” says Kamara.

“We are proud to be able to deliver such a valuable resource to our local community. “As we move forward with our development plans, we are committed to bringing more change to the lives of the people of Sierra Leone.”