New Mining License Granted in Orapa

(IDEX Online News) – The government of Botswana has awarded a new mining license, PL 085/2015, in Orapa to Atlas Minerals, the local subsidiary company of Botswana Diamonds. It will be explored as part of the ongoing 50/50 exploration joint venture between Botswana Diamonds and Alrosa.

The license is 316 square kilometers directly north west of PL 207, which is already held by the joint venture. 

Botswana Diamonds said that work carried out and currently in progress by the joint venture team, on PL 207, has found heavy concentrations of Kimberlitic Indicator Minerals (KIMs), particularly pyropes (red garnet gemstones), in the north west of the block. There is no record of kimberlites on either license. 

“A small but important step,” said Botswana Diamonds’ chairman John Teeling. “We feel that there is a very good chance that unknown kimberlites exist in the area covered by our existing block PL 207 and the new block PL 085. On-going extensive and detailed work on the ground, field analyses and laboratory analyses will estimate how far and from where certain Kimberlitic Indicator Minerals (KIMs), specifically garnets, have travelled. The joint venture is now zeroing in on targets.”