A new program of exploration has started in Botswana, first on licences in the Orapa area then in the Gope area. This work is a 50/50 joint venture between Botswana Diamonds (BOD) and Alrosa. The exploration is being led by a team from Alrosa, supported by an experienced BOD team.
Geologists have begun sampling on PLs 260 and 210. PL 260 covers an area of 25 km2 between the Karowe and Orapa diamonds mines. It contains three kimberlites AK21, AK22 and AK23, known to contain diamonds. Alrosa and BOD have evaluated existing data and agreed that significant potential exists on the block. A soil sampling geophysics, diamond drilling and reverse circulation wide diameter drill program is ongoing and will continue on the block until the end of April. The two/three wide diameter holes have a target depth of 300 m. A 90 t bulk sample will be analysed in a bulk sampling plant in Botswana.
A second team is deployed to PL 210 where two holes were drilled in 2015. Targeted geophysics and soil sampling are designed to select drill sites for diamond drilling, which will commence in early April. There are extensive kimberlitic indicator minerals on PL 210 and it is hoped that the new drilling program will identify the source.
On the completion of sampling and geophysics on PLs 210 and 260 the teams will move to the Gope Region. Follow up work will be conducted on PLs 135, 136 and 137, where anomalies were confirmed in 2015.
John Teeling, BOD Chairman, commented “This is an important time for BOD. The exploration program on two licences in the Orapa area of Botswana has great potential. The new licence, PL 260, already has known kimberlites containing diamonds. We want to test the belief that the grade improves at depth so we are taking a bulk sample to get reliable results. The follow up drilling on PL 210 will build on our 2015 drilling. We have reviewed data which gives us confidence that there are good levels of kimberlitic indicator minerals and hope that this drilling program will validate this. Based on the angularity of the kimberlitic indicator minerals, we believe they have not travelled very far.
