Key points
- 184 samples, each covering approximately ten square metres, yielded 2956 diamonds weighing a total of 1094 carats.
- On April 22, 1996, Namibian government evaluators valued a 93-carat parcel at US$262 per carat and a 1148-carat parcel at US$190 per carat, with over 95% of stones gem quality.
- Namibian Minerals holds five marine diamond concessions covering 5600 sq km off Namibia and South Africa, with commercial production scheduled to begin in 1997.
- Racal Survey will begin a US$1,000,000 geophysical survey over the Hottentot Bay grant extension 2002 and concession 12d in South Africa.
Independent geological consultants Marine and Coastal report an inferred resource of 2,400,000 carats in part of the Koichab prospect, Luderitz Bay, Namibia.
This 3.85 sq km area includes sections from features 018, 019, 020 and 011 of the Koichab prospect.
184 samples were taken from these features, each sample clearing an area of approximately ten square metres. The samples yielded 2956 diamonds for a total weight of 1094 carats.
Further additional sampling included the recovery of three large dimension areas of approximately 130 square metres each in the central zone of feature 019. They were evenly sited over a distance of 0.75km (0.5 mile) and were positioned in areas which indicated high (BSI), medium (BSII) and low (BSIII) grade occurrence from initial sampling.
The results of the large dimension samples were:
No. of
Dia- Total Total Carats Carats
monds Carats Vol. m3 m2 /100t
—– —— ——- —— ——
BSI 1627 591.71 415.52 4.55 79.11
BSII 1198 442.99 497.4 3.41 49.48
BSIII 336 124.94 618.15 0.96 11.23
The size range of the 6117 diamonds recovered from the Koichab prospect is 0.1 – 4.4 carats, with an average size of 0.37 carat. This compares favourably to the average stone size of 0.25 carat along the Southern African coast.
On April 22 1996 the Namibian government diamond evaluators assessed 1241 carats recovered from the Koichab prospect. One parcel of 93 carats was valued at US$262/carat. The other parcel of 1148 carats was valued at US$190/carat. More than 95% of stones are of gem quality.
Namibian Minerals’ five marine diamond concessions cover 5600 sq km off the coast of Namibia and South Africa.
Sampling is continuing in the Hottentot Bay grant off the coast of Namibia before commencing assessment of the 12b concession. Racal Survey will shortly begin a US$1,000,000 geophysical survey over Hottentot Bay grant extension 2002 and concession 12d in South Africa.
The company has appointed consulting mining engineers Steffen, Robertson and Kirsten to carry out technical audits of its mining proposals. Commercial production is scheduled to commence in1 997.
