Botswana Diamonds discovers kimberlite pipe at Thorny River project

Cecilia Jamasmie | December 3, 2020 | 6:50 am News Africa Diamond 
Botswana Diamonds discovers kimberlite pipe at Thorny River project
Thorny River diamonds. (Image courtesy of Botswana Diamonds).

UK-based Botswana Diamonds (AIM: BOD) reported the discovery of a new kimberlite blow or a small pipe located on its Thorny River project in South Africa. 

The blow was discovered during a recent, six-hole drilling program and covers a target area of 0.4 hectares. 

The blow was discovered during a recent, six-hole drilling program and covers a target area of 0.4 hectares

“This is very significant as the nearby Marsfontein (0.4 hectares) and Sugarbird (0.5 hectares) blows were extremely profitable diamond-producing operations,” John Teeling, chairman of Botswana Diamonds, said in a media statement. “We are moving forward with a programme to define the extent of this new resource particularly as the diamond grades are known to be consistent across the whole area.”

According to Teeling, a combined total of 39.5 metres intersected kimberlite while an additional 55 metres intersected a weathered kimberlite breccia, both of which are being analyzed for diamonds and indicators.  

“We have enough data to construct a preliminary 3D model of the resource and to estimate kimberlite volumes,” the executive said. “Following this, we will perform core drilling to confirm the precise geology and kimberlite profile.”

The Thorny River project is located in the northern Limpopo province and the volume of its main deposit has been modelled at between 1.2 and 2 million tonnes (to 100m). It has a diamond grade ranging between 46 and 74 cpht and diamond values in the range of $120 and $220 per carat. 

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