Just how much better is hard to say at this stage, but there are encouraging signs to be had from another Ashton find, the Renard-2 pipe in Northern Quebec. Ashton processed 161 kilograms of kimberlitic rock from the body late last year, recovering 145 diamonds. That parcel included 29 macro-sized stones, including five that were macrodiamonds in two dimensions. The best news was that three of the stones were longer than one millimetre in three dimensions.
The Renard-2 diamond recovery worked out to nearly 900 diamonds per tonne, or about triple the number at Sue, and with 175 macros per tonne, the macrodiamond population at Renard-2 was about triple the number found at Sue. The gap seemed to close with larger stones however. There were 30 stones per tonne at Renard-2 that were macrodiamonds in two dimensions. That was equivalent with the recovery at Sue, but the number of stones recovered from Renard seemed unusually low, and that belief was supported by the recovery of still larger diamonds. There were about 18 diamonds per tonne that were longer than one millimetre in two dimensions at Renard-2, which was about 2.5 times the number at Sue. Last spring, Ashton processed 2.44 tonnes of rock from Renard-2, coming up with 1.69 carats of diamonds, suggesting a grade of about 0.70 carat per tonne. The size distribution curve seemed quite healthy, as five of the stones weighed between 0.10 carat and 0.16 carat. The comparison suggests that Sue could have a similar diamond size distribution as Renard-2, although there is no hint that its grade will be a match for that of the Quebec pipe.
From Will's street wire. Renard 2, 3 and 4 mini bulk samples will be out within seven weeks. If consistent with Renard 2, we will witness increased volume and Ashton price. Still early but after ten years, the Renard seems to be the best ever potential open pit mine. Tonnage will be fine. 20-25 tonne is what we may get if 5 of the 8 pipes are commercial.
A MPV buyout by Debeers will help juniors or spectacular news by a junior will fuel the diamond exploration sector...Pregnant stocks all over the canadian diamond exploration map, ready to explode..... frank |
