Diamond search at Uranerz Sask. bet finds more stones

Hopes that a diamond mine can be established in Saskatchewan were boosted recently when partners Uranerz Exploration and partner Cameco recovered four large stones from kimberlite at the Fort a la Corne project, 40 miles east of Prince Albert, Sask. One of the diamonds measures 4 mm and is therefore the largest ever recovered from kimberlite in Canada.

According to prospector Boris Mamchur, the four stones that fall into the macrodiamond category were found in samples processed at the Saskatchewan Research Council’s laboratory in Saskatoon. Officials are searching for a fifth stone that was lost in the laboratory.

Macrodiamonds are stones measuring 0.5 mm and larger. The stones were extracted from a kimberlite pipe that is expected to be the target of a $700,000 summer exploration program.

If more diamonds are found in other areas of the pipe, the joint venture may consider going underground to extract a 20,000-ton bulk sample. “It’s pretty exciting news to find that amount of macrodiamonds,” said Mamchur.

However, the joint venture is attempting to determine which of the stones are gem quality and which are of industrial quality.

The partners will attempt to find enough diamonds in samples to make a ton of kimberlite worth $40. “If they can do that they have got a mine,” he said.