RAPAPORT… Stellar Diamonds Ltd. and joint venture partner Petra Diamonds have recovered 8,640 diamonds (760 carats) in trial operations at Pol K and Bardu, Kono, Sierra Leone.
A parcel of 581 carats has been shipped to South Africa and these are being cleaned for valuation.
The Bardu shaft trial mining began in December 2007. Stellar, which holds 49 percent interest in the project, stated too that there is considerable exploration potential at Kono. Petra, which holds 51 percent share, has already awarded a survey contract to Fugro Airborne Surveys on the Kono project.
Karl Smithson, CEO of Stellar, said, “We are very encouraged by diamond results from the test mining at the Kono operation. Taking the Kono project into production is in line with Stellar’s core strategy of becoming a diamond producer. The project is making excellent progress under the management of Petra who continue to work in a very diligent and cost effective manner. I look forward to the opportunity of updating our shareholders on the progress being made across our portfolio in due course.”
Mano River Resources Inc. holds 68.5 percent share in Stellar.