The Ekati diamond mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories is on schedule to begin production in the fall of 1998. In the meantime, partners Dia Met Minerals (DMM-T) and BHP Diamonds plan to bulk-sample two more kimberlites at their joint-venture lands near Lac de Gras.
BHP, the operator and holder of a 51% interest in what will soon be Canada’s first diamond mine, plans to take 200-tonne bulk samples from each of the Koala North and Bear Tooth kimberlites. Discovered in 1996, both pipes are situated in the Core zone, near the Panda-Koala mine development area.
A recent hole, drilled to test Koala North, returned 268.4 kg of sample (from 16.5 to 178.9 metres) and yielded 38 stones measuring less than 0.5 mm plus 51 larger than this size, for a total weight of 0.55 carat.
A 252-kg samples from Bear Tooth (from 23.8 to 252 metres) yielded 166 stones fewer than 0.5 mm in size plus 106 stones larger than this size, for a total weight of 0.668 carat.
Dia Met reports that microdiamond analyses also were carried out on kimberlites discovered in the 1997 summer exploration program. Four of the 23 kimberlites found this year produced significant microdiamond results. (A microdiamond is defined as measuring less than 0.55 mm.)
A 66.9-kg sample from pipe 97-A yielded 27 stones smaller than 0.5 mm, plus 31 stones above this size, for a total carat weight of 0.26, while a 170.8-kg sample from 97-B yielded 63 stones smaller and 44 stones larger than 0.5 mm for a total weight of 0.225 carat. A 236.2-kg sample, also from pipe 97-B, yielded 104 stones smaller and 58 stones larger than 0.55 mm for a total weight of 0.437 carat.
A 57.2-kg sample from pipe 97-C yielded 45 stones smaller and 32 stones larger than 0.55 mm (for a total carat weight of 0.316 carat), while a 232-kg sample from pipe 97-D yielded 78 stones smaller and 47 stones larger than 0.55 mm, for a total weight of 0.26 carat.
Dia Met adds that $536 million has been spent at the diamond project to date, including exploration expenditures.
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