BlueRock Diamonds PLC announced a significant 81% year-on-year rise in production during the six-month period ended June 30, 2018 (H1 ’18) despite approximately five weeks of aggregate downtime during the period due to a now rectified crusher fault and bad weather during Q2.

Releasing the figures, the Company said that while production during H1 reached 73,028 tonnes (H1 2017: 40,343 tonnes), processing work was hampered in Q2. As a result, during this period, 34,247 tonnes of ore were processed (Q1 2018: 38,781 tonnes) from first kimberlite pipe, KV2.

This also impacted sales. The Company reported that during Q2, 875.31 carats of rough were sold (Q1 2018: 1,563). However, average revenue per carat remained high at US$305.34 (Q1 2018: US$378), reinforcing the Company's position as one of the top ten highest value per carat diamond mines in the world.

BlueRock also said that the average grade mined of 2.45 cpht for Q2 2018 (Q1 2018: 3.8 cpht) with grades anticipated to improve as production proceeds deeper, and since mining commenced at the second kimberlite pipe, KV1, which has an inferred grade of 6.3 cpht.

Looking forward, the Company issued H2 2018 production guidance of between 150,000 and 175,000 tonnes which assumes no further major production halts. This was also based on the expectation that the new KV1 pipe would provide material contribution to production in FY 2018. Stripping activity at the site was progressing well, BlueRock noted, adding that results from first production expected in Q3 2018.

The Company also said it was advancing plans to increase crushing capacity during Q3 2018 which will support the expected increased throughput during H2 2018.

BlueRock CEO, Adam Waugh, said, “To make up the lost tonnage from H1 due to unanticipated downtime and to provide crushed stockpile for the wet season in H1 2019, we are focused on increasing our crushing capacity from the existing circuit to fully unlock the value in our 7,984,000 tonne Inferred Mineral Resource at the project, which has a potential in-ground value of circa US$130 million (based on our CPR estimate of 359,00 carats in the ground).”