Key points
- Total JO production for the June 2007 quarter was 20,269 gem diamonds weighing 8,279 carats, averaging 0.43 carat per stone.
- Three JO diamond sales of 9,224 carats generated $1,919,676 (U.S.), split 70 per cent to Diamond Fields and 30 per cent to Bonaparte.
- The amended JO agreement expanded the resource area to 10.1 square kilometres and raised Bonaparte’s interest to 35 per cent.
- A marine sampling program in the expanded JO area is planned for the second half of 2007.
Diamond Fields International Ltd.
had strong production and sales
results for the quarter ended June 30, 2007, from marine diamond mining joint
operations (JO) with Bonaparte Diamond Mines NL.
Key points:
Total JO production for the June, 2007, quarter of 20,269 gem diamonds
weighing 8,279 carats at an average size of 0.43 carat per stone;
Three JO diamond sales of 9,224 carats completed in the quarter
generating total revenue of $1,919,676 (U.S.) (70 per cent for Diamond Fields and 30 per cent for Bonaparte
in revenue and operating costs split); Total JO sales to date of 10,567 carats sold for $2,266,018 (U.S.) at an
average value of $214 (U.S.) per carat;Amended JO agreement resulting in expansion of JO resource area to
10.1 square kilometres and increase in Bonaparte’s interest to a 35-per-cent share of
agreed cost and revenues when mining is undertaken with DFI’s vessel
MV DF Discoverer in expanded area; Marine sampling program in expanded JO area planned for
implementation in the second half of 2007.
- Total JO production for the June, 2007, quarter of 20,269 gem diamonds
weighing 8,279 carats at an average size of 0.43 carat per stone;
- Three JO diamond sales of 9,224 carats completed in the quarter
generating total revenue of $1,919,676 (U.S.) (70 per cent for Diamond Fields and 30 per cent for Bonaparte
in revenue and operating costs split);
- Total JO sales to date of 10,567 carats sold for $2,266,018 (U.S.) at an
average value of $214 (U.S.) per carat;
- Amended JO agreement resulting in expansion of JO resource area to
10.1 square kilometres and increase in Bonaparte’s interest to a 35-per-cent share of
agreed cost and revenues when mining is undertaken with DFI’s vessel
MV DF Discoverer in expanded area;
- Marine sampling program in expanded JO area planned for
implementation in the second half of 2007.
Mining activities
The DFI/Bonaparte JO marine diamond mining operation off Luderitz,
Namibia, continued throughout the quarter with strong results and has now been
operating for a total of five months since commencement in late January, 2007.
JO diamond production of 8,279 carats for the June, 2007, quarter
represents an increase of 78 per cent over production achieved in the previous
quarter. During both April and May, successive monthly record productions were
achieved, driven by the full availability of the dual airlift mining system
which was established at the end of March, 2007. Production for April reached
3,189 carats, and in May, reached 3,529 carats. In June, the production declined
due to poor seasonal (winter) weather conditions and resultant technical
problems affecting operations. For part of this month, only one airlift could
be operated. During the September, 2007, quarter, operational improvements are
again anticipated as a result of improving weather and the continuing replacement
and repair of key pieces of equipment.
JO mining results continue to meet expectations from the resource, and as
a result, large stones have been regularly recovered with diamonds in excess of
two carats occurring regularly. The largest diamond recovered to date was a
9.2-carat diamond. Fancy coloured diamonds are also recovered occasionally. The
diamonds recovered to date continue to have a gem quality of approximately 95 per cent.
DIAMOND PRODUCTION
Production period Stones Carats Average size
Pre-JO 1,657 605 0.37
JO 8,208 4,038 0.49
Total third-quarter production
(January to March, 2007) 9,865 4,643 0.47
Total fourth-quarter production
all JO (April to June, 2007) 20,269 8,279 0.41
Total production
(January to June, 2007) 30,134 12,922 0.43
The total production from JO mining at June 30, 2007, stands at 28,477
diamonds weighing 12,318 carats with average stone size of 0.43 carat per
stone and representing an effective five months mining since commencement at end of
January, 2007. Mining to date continues to show that the mineralization and
economic grades extend in places beyond the resource boundaries defined by the
sampling data.
Mining is presently taking place in the Diaz prospect 1 JO mining area in
mining licence ML111, under the terms of the formal mining agreement which was
announced in Stockwatch on Feb. 20, 2007. The agreement provides for a minimum of
six months mining in the DP1 JO area, which has since been extended for up to
12 months by mutual agreement. The JO mining operations are being conducted by
DFI using its vessel MV DF Discoverer on the basis shared revenue and agreed operating cost of 70 per cent DFI/30 per cent Bonaparte. Mining is currently in
progress in the 315,000-square-metre area within DP1 incorporating a 63,000-carat indicated resource (National Instrument 43-101 compliant), identified in late
2006.
Based on the success of the initial JO operations, discussions to extend
both the minimum mining term in the JO area, as well as expansion of the scope
of the JO, have been concluded.
The JO partners have now signed an amendment to the JO mining agreement
(announced in Stockwatch on July 16, 2007), whereby the original 1.6-square-kilometre JO area in the Diaz
reef prospect of ML111 licence, offshore Luderitz, has been expanded to a total
prospective area of 10.8 square kilometres. This area will be sampled by Bonaparte at its
cost, with the objective of substantially expanding the mining resources
available to the JO mining operations. In addition, Bonaparte’s interest in
the expanded JO area has increased to 35 per cent, where DFI is the mining operator
(that is, gross revenue and agreed operating cost will be shared on the basis of
65 per cent DFI and 35 per cent Bonaparte). The amendment to the agreement also requires
Bonaparte to finance an amount of not less than $5-million (Namibian) directly on
resource development within the expanded JO area in ML111 over a period of
two years from the effective date of this agreement.
Sampling in the expanded JO area is expected to commence within the next
two to three months, subject to availability of a suitable vessel. The delineation of
substantially larger JO mining resources in 2007 and 2008 is expected to
provide a basis for increased production and may also allow consideration for
introducing a second mining vessel, at an appropriate stage.
Sales
During the quarter ended June 30, 2007, three sales of JO production were
completed in Antwerp, Belgium, via DFI’s existing sales agreement with Diamond
Tenders (Belgium) NV. The three sales comprised a total of 9,224 carats
(increase of 258 per cent over previous quarter) realizing $1,919,676 (U.S.) (250-per-cent increase
over the previous quarter). To date, a total of four JO diamond production sales
have been completed at an average value per carat sold of $214 (U.S.). The average
value per carat realized for the June quarter was $208 (U.S.). Sales results are
summarized.
TOTAL DIAMOND SALES
Period/date of sale Carats Total Average value
$U.S. $U.S./carat
Pre-JO sales 2,221 420,729 189
JO sales 1,343 346,342 258
Total third-quarter sales
(January to March, 2007) 3,564 767,071 215
—— ——— —
JO sale, April, 2007 2,030 484,692 239
JO sale, May, 2007 3,344 661,615 198
JO sale, June, 2007 3,850 773,369 201
Total fourth-quarter sales
all JO (April to June, 2007) 9,224 1,919,676 208
—— ——— —
Total sales (January to
June, 2007) 12,788 2,686,747 210
The total diamond sales represent sales on production up to May 29, 2007. Over all, the
sales price remains above the $200 (U.S.) mark, indicating the strong demand for
the high-gem-quality production.
SALES THIS QUARTER OF HIGH-VALUE DIAMONDS
Diamond size (carats) Sales price ($U.S.) $U.S./carat
7.72 24,018 3,111
6.16 13,668 2,219
5.38 13,057 2,426
Roger J. Daniel, BSc (honours), geology, London, PrSciNat, the company’s
president and chief executive officer, who is a fellow of the South African Institute of Mining
and Metallurgy (SAIMM) and is also a registered geological scientist with the
South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP), and is thus
a qualified person in terms of National Instrument 43-101, has compiled and
reviewed the scientific and technical information contained in this news
release.