Modern Mining July 2016

COUNTRY FOCUS BOTSWANA

licences (Blocks A and E) in 2014, located within a distance of 15 km and 30 km from Karowe and both known to host kimberlites. He said a mini bulk sample had been collected from one of these kimberlites – BK02, 30 km east of Karowe – and treated in Boteti’s custom- built, 15 t/h Bulk Sample Plant (BSP) at Karowe to produce a concentrate. Final recovery of dia- monds from the concentrate was undertaken using conventional XRF technology. Lucara released the encouraging results of the bulk sampling during the Gaborone confer- ence. The processing of 5 916 tonnes of BK02 yielded a total of 274,33 carats for a sample grade of 4,6 cpht. The largest diamond recov- ered was a 5,48 carat brownish octahedron. In addition, 24 stones were recovered greater than 1 carat in weight including three diamonds in excess of 2 carats. Karowe’s current mine life – based on open- pit reserves – extends through to 2026 but Lucara is hopeful that this can be extended. Apart from the exploration programmes under- way on the two exploration licence areas, it is also examining the viability of ultimately going underground at Karowe and has started a US$3,7 million programme of deep drilling on the south

lobe of AK6 to better define the resources in this, the deepest of AK6’s three lobes. Report by Arthur Tassell, photos courtesy of Lucara

AK6 comprises three geo- logically distinct, coalescing pipes.

feature

July 2016  MODERN MINING  45