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April 2016
MODERN MINING
47
DIAMONDS
A
s announced by KDL in
February this year, the min-
ing contract for Lerala was
awarded to Basil Read Min-
ing Botswana following a competitive
tender process.
Basil Read mobilised staff and
equipment to site during the months
of February and March. Mining then
commenced early in April from the
K3 kimberlite pipe and operations will
continue to develop a buffer stockpile
of fresh kimberlite ore. Mining will
then ramp up in line with the current
production schedule to provide a con-
sistent feed to the processing plant once
processing commences.
The Basil Read fleet of equipment
includes a Komatsu PC850 hydraulic
excavator, a Komatsu D155 tracked bull-
dozer, Komatsu HD465-7 haul trucks, a
Komatsu WA430 front end loader and
an Atlas Copco T45 drill rig, as well as
a fleet of service/support vehicles and
equipment.
KDL says that plant construction
activities at Lerala continue to progress
well despite recent delays experienced
due to higher than usual rainfall being
experienced at site.
The primary scrubber, secondary
crusher, 400-tonne DMS storage bin
and the new recovery module are all
Open-pit
mining starts at Lerala
Basil Read Mining machines in action at Lerala (photo: Kimberley Diamonds).
Fax: +27 (0)11 383 9305 email: winder@winder.co.za HOISTING SOLUTIONS Tel: +27 (0)11 383 9300 Winder Controls is a leader in the mechanical, electrical and hydraulic design, manufacture and installa- tion of mine winders and related equipment. Our designs comply with the latest international safety and reliability standards including SIL assessments where applicable. Our services include relocations, refur- bishment and upgrades, as well as full aftersales and maintenance support. In addition we offer a range of special products including steel wire rope handling equipment, Three Chamber Energy recovery systems and Nuclear Waste Disposal Technology. www.winder.co.zaASX-listed Kimberley Diamonds Ltd (KDL) reports that open-pit min-
ing operations have begun at its Lerala diamond mine in Botswana.
Assuming that recommissioning of the process plant proceeds as
planned, the first production and recovery of diamonds is expected
this month (April) and the first diamond sales in June 2016.
structurally complete, with electri-
cal and instrumentation work well
advanced. Construction of the tailings
dam extension commenced in March
2016 and is progressing on schedule
to accept tailings this month (April). In
addition, construction of the new dry
tailings conveyor system was started in
March 2016.
The deposit at Lerala comprises a
cluster of five diamond-bearing kim-
berlites – designated K2 to K6 – which
were originally discovered by De Beers
in the early 1990s. Although De Beers
undertook trial mining, it was left to
Australian company DiamonEx to
develop a mine at the site, with commis-
sioning taking place in 2008. The global
financial crisis led to the mine being
placed on care and maintenance within
months of its opening.
A third company, Mantle Diamonds,
operated the mine for a few months in
2012 producing approximately 73 000
carats. A range of technical issues in the
processing plant, however, resulted in
poor recovery and led to the mine once
again being put on care and maintenance.
KDL acquired the project in early
2014 and has since been busy upgrad-
ing Lerala at a total cost of A$14 million,
with the plant modifications accounting
for A$9,4 million of this figure.