Motapa Ist diamond from Mothae

Motapa Diamonds Inc. and partner Lucara Diamond Corp. provides the following update on progress at the Mothae kimberlite project in Lesotho.

Processing of three bulk samples from the Mothae kimberlite has yielded 267 diamonds with a total weight of 132.31 carats. Nine diamonds exceed two carats with the largest stone being 8.65 carats.

These are the first results from the Mothae sampling program which commenced in early March. The samples processed to date represent approximately one third of an initial 30,000 tonne bulk sampling program aimed at determining the potential for the Mothae kimberlite to host large high value diamonds similar to those recovered at the nearby Letseng diamond mine. If results of this initial test are sufficiently positive, sampling of up to 70,000 tonnes of additional material will be conducted to evaluate diamond grade within the Mothae pipe and to collect a sufficient number of diamonds for valuation purposes.

The initial sampling program is designed to test material from 6 kimberlite domains within the Mothae pipe. The domains all comprise volcaniclastic kimberlite and are defined on the basis of geophysical properties and variations in the abundance of different kimberlite indicator minerals. Between 2,000 and 5,000 tonnes of each kimberlite domain is being processed as individual samples and, based on the results of this work, the balance of the initial 30,000 tonne sample will be taken from the kimberlite domain or domains with the best apparent diamond potential.

Motapa’s CEO, Dr. Larry Ott, said, we are encouraged with the number of relatively large stones recovered to date and indications of a potentially coarse diamond size distribution at Mothae. We are looking forward to further results and a detailed evaluation of the diamonds after completion of this initial 30,000 tonne sample.

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