BlueRock Diamonds plc, owner-operator of the Kareevlei Diamond Mine in the Kimberley region of South Africa is currently mining two of the five known diamondiferous kimberlite pipes of the mine: KV1 and KV2.

Having processed 20,500 tonnes of ore recovered from the first Level 1 (10m to 20m below surface) from KV1, the Company has realised a  grade of   between 3.90 carats per hundred tonnes (cpht) and 5.11 cpht; with an average grade of 4.51 cpht. This, BlueRock said, is a result “exceeding the Company’s expectation”.

“The average grade in 2017 when mining exclusively from KV2 was 2.45 cpht and in H1 2018 was 3.17 cpht, also from KV2,” BlueRock noted. “KV1 has an inferred grade of 6.3 cpht.”

Adam Waugh, CEO of BlueRock commented, “Our current focus at Kareevlei following our recent fundraise is to materially step-up and de-risk our operations with a view to supplying a regular feed of undiluted, higher grade kimberlite. The ore we are recovering from KV1 is very encouraging in that it is a higher grade than we would have expected in this near surface, diluted material. It is pleasing that grades improved during H1 at KV2 and with the early results from KV1 suggests a stronger profile for both pipes going forward. I look forward to providing further updates from the ongoing mining at both KV1 and KV2.”