Aber Decreases Diavik Diamond Production Estimate
March 30, 04
Aber Diamond Corporation said today (Monday) it has been advised by Diavik Diamond Mines Inc, the operator of the Diavik Mine, of a downward revision to the mine’s 2004 diamond production forecast.
The projected diamond production is now expected to be in the mid to upper range of 7 to 8 million carats as compared to the earlier forecast of 8.2 million carats.
The revision is due to a shell of low-grade kimberlite mud surrounding the A-154 South kimberlite pipe. This low-grade material will continue to dilute the grade of ore processed through a substantial part of this year.
Because the kimberlite was not identified in earlier estimation drilling, its diamond content, and therefore its dilutive effect, is not well understood.
On the basis of a processing rate of 1.7 million tons for 2004, from the same quantity of processed ore, the diamond production figures were downwardly revised. The capacity of the processing plant, as designed, is 1.5 million tons.
With the recent addition of three haul trucks, the mining capacity is no longer a production limitation.
The project will continue to ramp-up during 2004 and the ultimate processing capacity has yet to be determined.
The Diavik mine is 40 percent owned by Aber with the rest belonging to diversified miner Rio Tinto.