Of Interest.
Diamonds North demonstrates high diamond potential for Victoria Island
TSX Venture Exchange: DDN
Shares Issued: 10,001,033
VANCOUVER, Sept. 5 /CNW/ - Diamonds North announced today results from
ongoing evaluation of diamond recoveries on its Blue Ice and Washburn projects
Victoria Island, Nunavut. The evaluation incorporates information and diamonds
obtained from De Beers Canada Exploration on kimberlite on the Washburn and
Blue Ice projects previously not published.
Blue Ice Project
A review of geophysics, micro diamonds and previous drill hole logs for
the large Snow Goose kimberlite suggests the presence of two separate and
discrete kimberlite bodies. Two previous drill holes intersected kimberlite
with the first hole intersecting a circular pipe-like body and the second
intersecting a more elongate kimberlite named the Gosling kimberlite. A third
hole drilled between the other two holes intersected country rock and no
kimberlite, indicating that the two kimberlites are separate bodies.
Significant diamonds were returned from the Gosling kimberlite. The
vertical core hole encountered kimberlite from 16 to 110 metres depth,
including several 1-3-metre country rock xenoliths below 70 metres. A total of
151 kg of processed kimberlite yielded 52 microdiamonds and 3 macrodiamonds.
The company has been advised that the estimated weight of these recovered
diamonds totals 0.262 carats. Management considers this to be significant as
the estimated weight calculates to 1.735 ct/tonne over the entire volume of
kimberlite tested. This calculation is regarded as an inferred grade as only
151 kg of kimberlite was analyzed from Gosling.
"It does show that Victoria Island kimberlites have ore grade potential,"
says company president Mark Kolebaba. Kolebaba added that much of this grade
is attributed to one diamond which, along with eight micro diamonds, weighs
0.23 ct. Detailed diamond data is awaited from De Beers, who drilled these
holes in the late 1990's. De Beers micro-macro diamond size classification is
based on 0.5 mm square mesh sieves.
Further drilling of the Gosling and Snow Goose kimberlites, as well as
other nearby targets, is planned for later this summer. Diamonds North owns
100 percent of these kimberlites.
Washburn Project
Interpretation to date reports evaluation of a portion of the diamonds
recovered at the De Beers Kimberley South Africa facility. Batches of diamonds
have been returned by De Beers to Diamonds North and its 48% joint venture
partner Ascot Resources. These samples have subsequently been submitted to
Lakefield Research Ltd. for detailed measurement and qualitative description.
A further report on the Washburn diamond potential is expected following
receipt of the balance of stones held by De Beers.
Diamond classification results for the Longspur and Golden Plover
kimberlites have been received from Lakefield. The total diamond count remains
the same; however, the Lakefield three dimensional measurements increases the
number of macro diamonds reported. The table below shows the comparison of
recently measured macro diamonds with those originally reported from De Beers'
square mesh sieves.
<<
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De Beers' Macros Lakefield Macros
Kimberlite Kimberlite Total 0.5mm Square +.5 mm 1 +.5 mm 2
Weight Diamonds Mesh Sieve direction directions
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Golden Plover 200 kg 47 1 6 3
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Longspur 100 kg 66 1 5 4
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>>
The two largest stones from Golden Plover measure 1.51 x 1.05 x 0.63 mm
and 0.83 x 0.68 x 0.26 mm. Both of these are fragments without faces,
indicating a larger original diamond.
The two largest stones from Longspur measure 1.14 x 0.71 x 0.54 mm and
0.57 x 0.51 x 0.35 mm. The larger stone is an octahedron while the smaller is
a fragment without faces.
Lakefield described the largest stones from Golden Plover and Longspur as
high quality diamonds with excellent clarity. Two of the latter stones are
white, one is pink and the other is off white.
Diamonds North expects additional diamonds and data to be returned by De
Beers, once the diamonds have cleared customs in South Africa. Data and
diamonds are yet to be received from several kimberlite pipes including the
Snowy Owl, which carries 9.2 micro diamonds per ten kilograms.
Diamonds North holds more than one million acres in Canada's diamond-rich
far north, with forty drill targets on Victoria Island, Nunavut, and in the
Northwest Territories.
Shares of Diamonds North Resources Ltd. trade on the TSX Venture Exchange
- DDN.
Bernard H. Kahlert
Vice President Exploration |
