Mining Permit Granted for Thorny River, South Africa
March 18, 25
(IDEX Online) - Botswana Diamonds (BOD) says it has been granted a mining permit for its Thorny River project in South Africa's Limpopo Province.
Contractors will start mining there once rough prices show sustained signs of recovery, it says, and operations could also resume at the nearby Marsfontein mine.
BOD, a diamond exploration and project development company, says two "kimberlite blows" at Thorny River - significant widenings of the kimberlite dyke - should prove commercially viable, as long as diamond prices recover.
"At last we have received the mining permit," said company chairman John Teeling, Chairman. "We also note a small improvement in diamond prices. If the price rises are sustained, we can look forward to the commencement of contractor mining at Thorny River".
Falling diamond prices and permit delays resulted in the project being put on care and maintenance in October 2023, the company said.
"Once diamond prices recover, mining could resume at Marsfontein, as well as commence at Thorny River, now that permits are in force."
BOD has caried out extensive geophysics, drilling and bulk sampling along the Thorny River dyke-system and brought in contractors to mine the nearby gravels and dumps at the now-exhausted Marsfontein mine as a "proof of concept". BOD received a 15 per cent revenue royalty.
BOD applied for two mining permits at Thorny River, one of which has so far been granted.
File pic shows a BOD exploration at Thorny River, South Africa.