Diamond Fields International has disclosed positive results from exploration activities following a program originally designed by kimberlite expert Mark Collins for Jean-Raymond Boulle’s Gondwana (Investments) S.A. in Sierra Leone, West Africa. More than 620 stream sediment and hard rock samples have been collected on the company’s properties, with approximately 550 heavy mineral concentrates being produced from laboratory processing of these samples. Mineral Services (Pty.) Ltd. of Cape Town has confirmed G10 garnets, kimberlitic ilmenites and low Ti chromites of possible kimberlitic origin in the grains analyzed to date. In addition, DFI’s project manager, geologist Craig Mclean, has recovered a macrodiamond (diameter greater than one millimetre) from a sample taken on the east-central Foindu licence and in the same locality from which two G10 garnets were recovered. These results support the possibility of local kimberlite occurrences, and the company will conduct follow-up work in the area as a priority. In addition, stream sediment samples taken from several areas within EPL 40/96, in the east of Sierra Leone, contain very high quantities of kimberlitic ilmenite (verified by Mineral Services (Pty.) Ltd.). Further work will be conducted in these areas as soon as weather permits.
DFI’s exclusive exploration rights for diamonds cover a total of 1,148 square kilometres located within five geographical regions selected for their potential to host primary diamondiferous (kimberlitic) rock. Artisanal alluvial diggings are present on five of the company’s seven licences. DFI now owns and operates the only heavy mineral processing laboratory in Sierra Leone. The laboratory is equipped with a magnetic separator-elutriation column and microscope facilities. DFI also uses the Mineral Services (Pty.) Ltd. in Cape Town, South Africa, for analysis of selected indicator mineral grains. The lab in Sierra Leone affords the company a very fast turnaround time from sample abstraction to final result. Randal Cullen, DFI’s chief geologist and qualified person, commented, “The preliminary results are very exciting, and we look forward to further results from samples currently being analyzed and to the follow-up sampling planned for the coming dry season, as well as continuing the reconnaissance sampling program.”
DFI director Rod Baker, a highly respected exploration geologist, commented, “Sierra Leone is a significant producer of large gem-quality diamonds, and is underexplored with modern exploration techniques for kimberlites.” Sierra Leone has recently become a member country of the Kimberley process certification scheme.
The Sierra Leone licences are registered in the name of Gondwana (Investments) SA, a company established and owned by Mr. Boulle. As announced in DFI’s news release in Stockwatch of July 31, 2003, Gondwana (Investments) SA is transferring a 100-per-cent interest in the exploration licences to DFI, as well as full ownership rights to all exploration tools, vehicles and equipment owned by Gondwana in Sierra Leone including all of the equipment (except the elutriation column which is on loan from Gondwana) in the heavy mineral processing laboratory.
The recently announced acquisitions place DFI in a leadership position in diamond exploration in Madagascar and Sierra Leone, complementing its substantial diamond resource in Namibia.
WARNING: The company relies upon litigation protection for “forward-looking” statements.
