Botswana Diamonds has completed the first phase of drilling at its flagship Vutomi Project in Frischgewaagt, located 300km north of Johannesburg, South Africa. 

The company reported that 34 percussion and nine diamond drill holes were made on the kimberlite dyke

Two ‘blows’ were discovered on the kimberlite dyke system during this drill campaign.

High-interest olivines, G10 and G9 garnets, were recovered.

The company submitted further samples for microdiamond analysis and results are expected within two months.

The geology is similar to the high-value Marsfontein mine, which is located 20km away.

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A further round of drilling is expected to be completed in April or May, which will identify the area for bulk sampling

The company stated that modelled per carat value of $259/ct on diamonds was recovered from previous drilling.

"Frischgewaagt is turning into a very exciting project. What we see in the drilling we like."

Botswana Diamonds chairman John Teeling said: “Frischgewaagt is turning into a very exciting project. What we see in the drilling we like. To date, we have discovered two ”blows” on the kimberlite dyke system.

“We are moving to delineate the size of each one. The drilling samples contain high quantities of diamond indicator minerals of similar profile to the highly profitable Marsfontein mine some 20km away.

“In the next two months, we should have results from the microdiamond analyses and further information on the size and composition of the kimberlite dykes.”

The aim of this first phase of drilling was to increase the geological confidence in the 6km long kimberlite dyke/blow system, which is east of, and on strike with, the previous De Beers / Southern Era operated Marsfontein Mine.

Marsfontein was operated for two years in the late-1990's with economics that enable the complete capital cost to be recouped in under four days.  

Its run of mine grade was 172cpht at a bottom cut off of +1.2mm.