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RAPAPORT... Stellar Diamonds' bulk sampling results from the Lion-5 kimberlite dyke in eastern Sierra Leone yielded 244 carats from 346 dry tonnes of kimberlite for an in-situ grade of 70 carats per hundred tonnes (cpht). Sixty-two percent of diamonds recovered were of gem-quality and the five largest stones were 4.45-carat, 3.22-carat, 3.07-carat, 3-carat and 2.57-carat. Stellar Diamonds' trial mining in the Kono region so far has produced 4,200 carats of high-quality diamonds, according to the company.
Karl Smithson, the chief executive of Stellar Diamonds, said that the sample results indicated that Lion-5 has significant exploration potential. ''The dyke forms part of an extensive swarm of kimberlite dykes that run from the Stellar license areas into the adjacent mine lease held by Koidu Holdings, which is embarking on a $150million mine expansion program.''
The kimberlite grade of 70 cpht was also consistent with previous trial mining results from the Pol-K and Bardu kimberlites at Kono. ''It is clear that the Kono permits hold significant value for Stellar and we intend to continue the exploration and evaluation work to develop this potential,'' Smithson said.
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