Star Diamond Corporation has announced that Rio Tinto Exploration Canada (RTEC) has made good progress with the ongoing bulk sampling work at the Star-Orion South Diamond Project in Canada. Drilling of five of the ten proposed bulk sample holes have been completed and the rest will be finished before the end of the 2019 sampling season.

The bulk sampling is being carried out, on property 100% owned by Star, through a JV with Rio Tinto Exploration Canada under which the latter has an option to earn up to 60% interest in the project which lies in the Fort à la Corne diamond district of central Saskatchewan, Canada.

RTEC used the Trench Cutter Sampling Rig, and depth of each trench is determined by kimberlite thickness. 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 and accompanying desanding unit have also been fully commissioned.

Kimberlite collected will be stored in a secure storage area, until the on-site Bulk Sample Plant has been assembled and commissioned. Final diamond recovery will then be conducted by RTEC at a secure off-site facility.

Senior Vice President Exploration and Development, George Read, states: “These drilling and sampling statistics confirm that the Trench Cutter bulk sampling program on the Star Kimberlite has made good progress and shows that the completion of all ten trenches is achievable within the 2019 sampling season. The rate of sampling with the Trench Cutter rig also appears to have continued to improve throughout the drilling of these first five trenches. The aim of RTEC’s bulk sampling program is to recover samples of the highest quality, to help ensure that diamond breakage is minimized.”