Aim-listed Botswana Diamonds’ associate, Vutomi, has been granted an environmental authorisation over a substantial portion of the residual diamond-bearing gravels produced from the high-grade Marsfontein mine, which is contiguous to the Thorny River operation, in South Africa’s Limpopo province.
In a statement on Thursday, Botswana Diamonds highlighted that this authorisation was a critical step towards obtaining a mining permit, which it expected to receive shortly.
The mining permit would cover an area of 5 ha and would be valid for two years, but was also renewable.
“We believe the mine gravels and unprocessed stockpiles around the Marsfontein mine contain commercial grades of diamonds,” indicated Botswana Diamonds chairperson John Teeling.
“We plan to shortly commence royalty mining operations at no cost to the company,” he added.
The high-grade of the Marsfontein mine distracted the original miners from the gravels – though these were confirmed to be diamond-bearing through subsequent sampling.
Botswana Diamonds has identified potential partners to process the gravels and stockpiles. It expects mobilisation to begin within six weeks.