Botswana Diamonds Says Initial Work At Orapa Area Completed

(IDEX Online) – Botswana Diamonds reports initial, planned fieldworks at its joint venture prospecting license area, PL 117/2011, in the Orapa region of Botswana have been completed on schedule and on budget.

The 2.9 sq km area of ground was identified as the highest level priority target under the joint venture that Botswana Diamonds operates with the Russian diamond firm Alrosa.

A combined team of senior geologists and geophysicists from both companies carried out a rapid and intensive work program designed to identify drill targets on the license. Work included magnetic, electromagnetic and geochemical surveys. The geochemical samples are now being shipped to the Alrosa laboratory in St Petersburg, Russia, for mineralogical analysis. Simultaneously the interpretation and modeling of the geophysical fieldwork is ongoing.

Botswana Diamonds previously drilled the area in collaboration with De Beers between 2004-2007 which was when the diamondiferous kimberlite pipe, AK10, was discovered.

The current program aims to re-evaluate the potential of this ground and possibly drill successfully to augment the existing resource.

As anticipated the correct indicator minerals were discovered during this phase of work. The outcome of the analysis work in St Petersburg is expected to be produced within the coming two months and this should give the joint venture clear drill targets. As soon as the results have been analyzed a drill program will be implemented by the joint venture.

John Teeling, Chairman of Botswana Diamonds, said, “We identified license PL117 as a key target. We have done the initial ground work with our Russian partners; the samples are on their way to Russia and applying Alrosa’s in-house analytical capabilities we shall hopefully locate the new drill targets, which we shall drill in short order.

“I am delighted with this first collaboration on the ground with our JV partner; the two teams worked successfully together. The combination of their technological skills and our local diamond knowledge is a big asset to both parties, and I look forward to announcing soon that we are preparing to drill on PL117.

“Additionally we await the formal awarding of the new prospective licenses, which we remain confident will be successfully applied for with the Department of Mines in Botswana. These areas, which have been identified as top-priority targets by the joint venture, will also be worked under a continued, joint work program.