RE: " much like C-13 improved on the barren and nearly barren Tenby pipes a decade ago." I din't get that statement, but 10 Google seconds later, I found a wire which explained it too me. Thanks!
"Patience certainly proved to be a virtue at Lac de Gras for Aber Diamond Corporation and its partner, Kennecott Canada. The Diavik properties were acquired early in 1992, and exploration began immediately. The initial focus seemed to be in the area just to the north of the Tli Kwi Cho kimberlite, which showed early signs of promise. As a result, Aber concentrated on the eastern portions of the Tenby and Commonwealth blocks, discovering seven kimberlites in 1992. Three of those were diamondiferous, although just marginally so.
Aber and its partners expanded their focus a bit in 1993, and uncovered 18 more kimberlites, but once again, just three of the new finds proved to be diamondiferous. The diamond content of one of the finds, C-13 was worthy of a closer look, but additional holes in following years did not generate much excitement.
Despite two years of near failure, Aber kept at its Diavik play, although it was the hype about Aber's interest in Tli Kwi Cho that was the greatest attraction for speculators. In its third year of the Diavik hunt, Aber finally hit it big, coming up with 10 more kimberlites, of which six were diamondiferous, including the rich A-154 twins and A-21. The following year, the partners discovered a fourth rich kimberlite, A-418.
In all, the four Diavik pipes contain more than 130 million carats of diamonds, with a gross value that could exceed $8-billion (U.S.). The A-154 South pipe alone accounts for more than 60 million carats, with a total value of nearly $5-billion (U.S.), in a pipe with a grade in excess of five carats per tonne. Nevertheless, it took three years to find the pipes, despite the fact that a major was paying the bills. Perhaps ironically, a bulk sample from Tli Kwi Cho produced a grade of less than 0.4 carat per tonne, and a rock value of less than $10 (U.S.) per tonne. "
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