Botswana Diamonds plc, which is part of a 50:50 joint venture with Alrosa for an ongoing diamond exploration campaign in Botswana, recently provided an update on the activities of the past couple of months.

After completion of heavy concentrate sampling – and washing of the samples - on PL 085 and PL 210 at Orapa, the Company said that drilling will begin in early May.

At PL 260, two boreholes were drilled on kimberlite pipe AK-21 to a total depth of 423 m. After various surveys -- a  transient Electro Magnetic soundings (TEM) on kimberlite pipes AK-22 and AK-23; and ground geophysical TEM works on kimberlite pipe AK-21 -- heavy concentrate sampling and hard rock samples treatment and washing was completed.

“Diamond drilling, early core analyses and TEM works are completed as is much of the heavy concentrate sampling,” Botswana Diamonds stated with reference to this area. “Reverse Circulation Drilling and sampling will continue into May.”

In Gope, on PL135, PL136, PL137 AND PL 235, there have been ground geophysical works and TEM soundings on anomalies; and heavy concentrate sampling (250 litre) on geophysical anomalies and washing of heavy concentrate samples. The work is ongoing, the Company said.

“The Alrosa-led team is applying state-of-the-art technology in an innovative way,” Botswana Diamonds stated. “Mineralogical analyses of heavy concentrate samples in the field laboratory allows us to accelerate results so that our experts can focus the drill programme.”