VANCOUVER (miningweekly.com) – Mountain Province Diamonds has announced the discovery of two large gem-quality diamonds of 84.65 ct and 53.90 ct at the joint venture (JV) Gahcho Kué mine, in April.
Mountain Province owns 49% of the mine, with De Beers owning the balance.
Each month, the partners bid for the fancy coloured and 10.8-carat-plus diamonds, and Mountain Province won the bid in April, including the exceptional gems. The diamonds will be included in the company’s upcoming sales in Antwerp, Belgium.
The 84.65-ct diamond is the largest gem-quality diamond recovered to date and provides further confirmation that Gahcho Kué hosts a population of large, high-quality gem diamonds. The 53.90-ct diamond is the highest-quality exceptional stone recovered to date and is expected to achieve a record price at tender,” Mountain Province president and CEO Patrick Evans commented.
The company said project operator De Beers plans to provide an updated life-of-mine plan for Gahcho Kué, along with an updated financial model, further diamond pricing analysis and a fluorescence evaluation to be prepared by an external consultant before the end of August.
Mountain Province also announced that the JV partners have approved a $19-million budget for winterisation of the conveyor systems and to install expanded dust mitigation systems at Gahcho Kué. Installation of the new systems is scheduled to start in the second half of 2017, with completion expected in the first quarter of 2018. These new systems are expected to reduce unscheduled extreme cold weather downtime and also increase equipment and operational efficiencies.