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January 2015
MODERN MINING
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DIAMONDS
Top projects
course for 2016 start-up
Diamond Developments) erected a pilot plant
at the site to treat material from the small satel-
lite pipe. This operation ran through to 2008
after which the plant was put on care and main-
tenance. In 2010 Firestone – which was then
focused on Botswana – bought out Kopane and
Left:
A view of the
Liqhobong project site
(November 2014).
Below:
Earthworks
underway on the the
Residue Storage Facility.
in 2011 restarted the plant. Between July of that
year and October 2013 it produced in excess of
325 000 carats, mainly from the main pipe.
“When Firestone acquired Liqhobong, it
was always with the intention of developing a
large scale mining operation based on the main
pipe,” says Brown. “The mining that took place
from 2011 onwards was a trial mining exercise
designed to provide some cash flow while, at
the same time, allowing the company to get
data on the quality, grade and size of stones
in the orebody. Firestone did modify the plant
to increase efficiency and capacity somewhat
but with only limited success. It was, however,
able to complete a Definitive Feasibility Study
– later updated – during this period which indi-
cated that the main pipe could form the basis of
a very viable large-scale mine.”
Brown’s involvement with Liqhobong
dates back to September 2013, when he was
appointed an Executive Director of Firestone.
Subsequently (as from 1 December 2013) he
was appointed CEO in succession to Tim
Wilkes, who remains associated with the com-
pany. Brown was brought on board specifically
to advance the Main Treatment Plant project
to production. It was an inspired choice by
Firestone’s board, as Brown had previously
enjoyed a stellar 20-year career in the diamond
field with De Beers – which saw him ultimately
becoming Group CFO and Joint Acting CEO.
His appointment was a declaration of intent by