Botswana Diamonds Approves Prospecting Applications

(IDEX Online) – Botswana Diamonds plc has awarded six new prospecting licenses in Botswana to Sunland Minerals Pty Ltd, BOD’s joint venture company with Alrosa.

The prospecting licenses were issued for a period of three years ending on 30th March 2020. Four are in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) and cover 3,135 square kilometers and two are in the Orapa kimberlite province and cover 482 square kilometers.

The areas were selected following a detailed review of historical data by the BOD and Alrosa team. The CKGR area was selected as it is close to the Gem Diamonds Gope Mine as well as high interest projects held by the Maibwe joint venture, where BOD is a partner, the firm said in a statement.

"The Kalahari cover is thinner and there are unexplained geophysical and kimberlite indicator anomalies some of which are contiguous with existing pipes. The Orapa area, North-East of Debswana’s Letlhakane mine was selected as there also unexplained anomalies. There are 85 kimberlites in the Orapa kimberlite province of which eight are current diamond mines, or have been active diamond mines previously. The Orapa mine is also the largest Tier 1 diamond mine by area in the world at 118 hectares.

In addition to the new prospecting licenses, the company also said that an Alrosa team of geologists and mineralogists has arrived in Botswana to begin the 2017 field exploration program. As previously announced, this will focus on sampling and geophysical studies on four licenses, PL 260 in Orapa and PL 135, 235 and 234 in the Gope area. Further announcements regarding this exploration program will be made as appropriate, the firm added.

John Teeling, Chairman, commented “This will allow us to work with Alrosa to deploy advanced exploration technology to areas which have not been looked at through this lens before.”