DIAMOND PAGE — Ashton sizes up K14 with mini-bulk sampling work

The first diamond results from mini-bulk sampling of the K14 kimberlite at the Buffalo Hills project indicate a high variability in diamond content over relatively short distances in the kimberlite body.

The operator, Ashton Mining of Canada (ACA-T), recently drilled seven reverse-circulation holes on the Alberta property. The program resulted in 8.2 tonnes of material, from which were extracted 2.99 carats of diamonds greater than 0.8 mm in size. The preliminary grade was 36.6 carats per 100 tonnes, or 0.366 carat per tonne.

The holes were drilled vertically at 25-metre spacings across a 150-metre section in the south-central part of the main K14 magnetic anomaly. They reached a depth of 86.7 to 98.8 metres.

A total of 19.2 tonnes of material was also collected from five surface pits, yielding 1.87 carats of diamonds for a preliminary grade of 9.7 carats per 100 tonnes, or 0.097 carat per tonne. The surface pits were spaced irregularly across a 50-metre distance, 75 metres north of the drill holes.

In total, a 27.42-tonne mini-bulk sample of the K14 kimberlite returned 4.86 carats of diamonds, equivalent to a grade of 17.7 carats per 100 tonnes, or 0.177 carat per tonne. The five largest stones recovered weighed 0.6, 0.3, 0.28, 0.21 and 0.18 carat. Many of the diamonds are said to be colorless, though some colored stones were present as well.

Ashton considers the drill hole samples to be more representative of K14 than the pit samples, which were collected from the surface and generally found to have a low diamond content.

Ashton can earn a 42.5% interest in the original 1.4-million-acre Buffalo Hills project from Alberta Energy (AEC-T) by spending $5 million on exploration. Pure Gold Resources (PUG-T) holds the right to a 15% interest.