Botswana Diamonds has announced that it has completed the first phase of the intensification drilling programme at the Thorny River project with 12 of the 18 holes drilled on the farm Hartbeesfontein during it, intersecting kimberlite.

The company reported that the second phase of the drilling programme, taking place on the farm Frischgewaagt has commenced with three holes drilled so far, all of which intersected kimberlite. The third hole intersected 4.5m of kimberlite fissure down the hole, which is the thickest section intersected to date on the project.  This hole also produced a mantle xenolith (eclogite) composed of clinopyroxene and garnet which is indicative of high diamond content.

Stating that further drilling will be undertaken on two adjacent sites which may contain kimberlite blows and a gravity survey is already underway on these areas, Botswana Diamonds added that a bulk sampling target of 1.5 km of kimberlite fissure intersection has been identified and a bulk sampling programme will commence on completion of drilling activities and after the necessary regulatory approvals have been received. These are expected within the next two months. 

The company also said that refurbishment is currently underway of a nearby diamond processing plant to process the bulk sample kimberlite and that work has also commenced on potential secondary (alluvial) diamond deposits in the project area.  The nearby and worked-out Marsfontein diamond mine was host to eluvial diamond deposits running at grades of 1,433 cpht.