Partners
Rio, which operates the project, recently sank eight holes into a promising geophysical anomaly north of the known K14N kimberlite. Four other holes were drilled to the south, in an area sampled by Russian geologists in the 1960s.
All 12 holes cut kimberlite, and four of those returned elevated diamond counts. Results include the following:
o Hole 40 — 0.119 carat over 95 metres, including 14 metres at 0.166 carat, 24 metres at 0.337 carat, and 13 metres at 0.147 carat.
o Hole 41 — 3.124 carats over 62 metres, including 25 metres at 2.973 carat, 20 metres at 5.958 carat, and 6 metres at 3.87 carat.
o Hole 42 — 2.588 carat over 79 metres, including 32 metres at 7.117 carat.
o Hole 43 — 1.371 carats over the first 38 metres, including 23 metres at 1.683 carats and 12 metres at 1.061 carats.
Each interval begins from the start of the hole, and the reported grades include only those stones having at least two dimensions greater than 1 mm. The largest stone — 0.889 carat, which came from hole 41 — was excluded from the grade estimate.
Rio notes that only 42% of the core was recovered on average, and so the estimated grades may be exaggerated. To overcome the problem, the major will sink several large-diameter holes into the K14N kimberlite.
Drilling at the K4, K7 and K19 kimberlites failed to return any significant diamond counts. The K4 kimberlite is one of a cluster of four that sit in the central part of the concession. Kimberlites K3 and K6 have not been drilled yet, and the heaviest stone from the K5 kimberlite weighed 0.38 carat.
Rio also has flown 4,700 line-km of airborne electromagnetic and magnetic surveys over central and southern portions of the property. Any notable drill targets will be tested in an upcoming campaign.
Rio can earn up to a 58% stake in any kimberlite body by advancing it to production. Nearby alluvial deposits, which Trivalence has been mining since March 1998, are excluded from the deal.
Be the first to comment on "Aredor kimberlites reveal more stones (October 28, 2002)"