Afri-Can inks sampling deal, Namakwa sets sail

Montreal-based Afri-Can Marine Minerals (AFA-V) has inked an agreement with De Beers Marine, a division of De Beers Consolidated Mines to conduct a reconnaissance sampling program of its Block J marine diamond concession, 105 km north of Luderitz, Namibia.

Initial sampling from the MV Douglas Bay vessel is expected to take about a month, beginning November 20. De Beers has committed to collect at least 250 samples over a minimum of 20 anchor spreads. In all, the US$548,000 program will see a minimum of 540 sq. metres of gravel collected. The cost includes sorting on-ship in a dense medium separation plant with a capacity of 20 tonnes per hour. The vessel also carries two sampling tools each equipped with a 0.96-metre diameter “Megadrill”.

Block J covers 994-sq.-km in water ranging in depth from 70 to 167 metres. The concession lies on the northern boundary of the known rich diamondiferous deposits currently being mined along the south and central Namibian West Coast.

In mid-September, Afri-Can boosted its stake in Block J to 40%. The company inked a deal to issue 662,640 shares, valued at 25 apiece to Woduna Mining Holding. In return Afri-Can would receive an additional 10% interest in the project. African can further up its stake to 70% by paying three equal payments of about US$86,887.

In other diamond news, Diamond Fields International (DFI-T) has announced that MV Namakwa vessel has begun mining at its Marshall Fork feature near Luderitz. The ship is fitted with a more powerful 20-inch airlift system and an aggressive high-pressure water jetting system, which will boost throughput and should result in increased diamond recovery.

Namakwa replaces the smaller MV Ivan Prinsep and is the first mining vessel specifically dedicated to the Diamond Fields/Trans Hex joint venture operations. The Ivan Prinsep has been re-assigned to Trans Hex’s concessions.

The Marshall Fork feature has been described as a river or stream channel. The sediment cover, which thickens from 1 to 4 metres to the south is not expected to impede production. Resources are pegged at 6.1 million cubic metres containing 1.1 million carats (including 81% defined as probable reserves).

Trenching on the feature by the partners this summer recovered more than 9,600 diamonds weighing more than 3,100 carats. That and another nearby feature are expected to yield 675,000 carats over seven years, though initial results suggest this may be too conservative an estimate.