Star Diamond Corporation has announced that Rio Tinto Exploration Canada (RTEC) has completed the drilling of the first bulk sample hole on the Corporation's Star Kimberlite, using the Trench Cutter Sampling Rig.

The Star Kimberlite is located within the Corporation's Star-Orion South Diamond Project, in the Fort à la Corne diamond district of central Saskatchewan, Canada, on mineral dispositions held 100 per cent by Star Diamond.  

“The Trench Cutter Sampling Rig drilled hole FALCCT001 to total depth of 228.4 metres, and intercepted a total of 117.4 metres of kimberlite,” the Corporation said, providing further details. “This hole produced 704 bulk bags of kimberlite over 15 sample intervals.”

Star Diamond added: “The Trench Cutter Sampling Rig consists of a Bauer BC 50 Cutter mounted on a Bauer MC 128 Duty-cycle Crane. The redesigned Kimberlite Separation Unit (KSU) and accompanying de-sanding unit have also been fully commissioned.”

Now, the kimberlite collected  as a result of the drilling will be stored in a secure storage area, until the on-site Bulk Sample Plant (BSP) has been assembled and commissioned, Star Diamond said; while final diamond recovery will  be conducted by RTEC “at a secure off-site facility”.

Senior Vice President Exploration and Development, George Read, commented: "The completion of the first Trench Cutter hole of this bulk sample programme is an important milestone in the evaluation of the Star Kimberlite by RTEC. The successful use of this new Trench Cutter Sampling Rig technology for the recovery of kimberlite bulk samples has the ability to revolutionise future bulk sampling and mining of kimberlites, particularly for kimberlites characteristic of the Fort à la Corne diamond district of central Saskatchewan, Canada."