Botswana Diamonds (BOD) PLC, a joint venture partner with ALROSA in Sunland Minerals -- and its operator – recently provided an update on Sunland Minerals’ exploration projects in Botswana.  

The Company reported that all the eight anomalies it was sampling in the Kalahari Desert   reported good kimberlitic indicator minerals (KIMs). The grains included fresh chrome diopsides and olivines, suggesting a local source.

With this, the mineral sampling over the eight previously discovered high contrast geophysical anomalies in the Gope Region of the Kalahari Desert has been completed.

“A total of 267 kimberlitic indicator minerals (KIMs) were discovered,” Botswana Diamonds said. “All 8 anomalies had KIMs. The KIMs included 41 garnets, 13 chromites, 139 ilmenites, 4 chrome diopsides and 70 olivines.”

Remote Exploration Services of Cape Town, the organisation which conducted the analysis of the grains concluded that “the sources were likely to be local due to the abundance, size and fresh surface textures of the KIMs”.

The Company is currently in the process of taking the next step – “to prove the mineral chemistry of the grains to determine the diamond bearing potential”.

John Teeling, Chairman, commented: "The first Sunland exploration programme undertaken by BOD geologists has been successful.”

He added that the Company was very pleased with the result for three reasons: “Firstly, the abundance of a variety of kimberlitic minerals; secondly, the presence of olivines and chrome diopsides which are minerals which do not travel far in the weathering environment and finally the surface texture work indicates a local source.”