Canadian miner Kennady Diamonds has reported positive results from its latest mini-bulk sampling from the Kelvin kimberlite with a total sample grade of 2.16 carats per tonne. The sample from the Kennady North diamond project in the Northwest Territories was tested at Geoanalytical Laboratories Diamond Services of the Saskatchewan Research Council.

Company president and CEO Patrick Evans said that the grade was in line with the guidance issued earlier of greater than 2 carats per tonne.

While stating that this “confirms the potential for Kelvin to host a high grade diamond resource”, Evans noted that “the number of larger diamonds in the sample is lower compared with previous Kelvin samples”.

He added that “the sampling and treatment methods used for the mini-bulk sample will be reviewed to understand the reasons for this.”

The three largest diamonds recovered were a 1.27-carat off-white, transparent irregular and broken octodedral with inclusions; a 1-carat white/colourless, transparent dodecahedron with minor inclusions; and a 0.7-carat white/colourless, transparent dodecahedron with minor inclusions.

Kennady Diamonds aims to identify a resource along the Kelvin – Faraday kimberlite corridor of between a 7 and 10 million tonnes and also to identify new kimberlites outside of the corridor.

Work on collecting another 28-tonne mini-bulk sample is in progress, with 14,000 metres of drilling completed. Kelvin is irregularly shaped and prior to processing, the Kelvin sample was divided into four batches based on four distinct kimberlite phases. All returning different grades varying from 0.84 carat per tonne to 2.96 carats per tonne.

However, the company reiterates that there has been insufficient drilling to define a mineral resource.