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Gold/Mining/Energy : Canadian Diamond Play Cafi
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From: gg cox3/13/2006 11:48:45 AM
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SouthernEra DRC alluvial project returns high diamond grades and values
Monday March 13, 2:00 am ET

1,809 diamonds weighing 222.26 carats Average grade 0.67 carats per cubic meter Top stone 1.37 carats valued at $730 per carat
Shares issued and outstanding: 128,343,101 TSX: SDM AIM: SRE
TORONTO and LONDON, March 13 /CNW/ - SouthernEra Diamonds Inc. (TSX: SDM, AIM: SRE) ("the Company") today reported on very encouraging diamond results from its extensive Tshikapa alluvial exploration program in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
A total of 1,809 diamonds weighing 222.26 carats have been recovered from samples processed through SouthernEra's onsite diamond plant. The average recovered diamond grade was 0.67 carats per cubic meter with the highest diamond grade being 13 carats per cubic meter. An independent De Beers valuation of 213.69 carats has returned an average value of US$41.60 per carat. The largest diamond weighing 1.37 carats was valued at $730 per carat.

SouthernEra controls a 34 kilometer stretch of Kasai River and 2 kilometers of the Tshikapa River within this rich diamond producing area of southwestern DRC. SouthernEra owns a 100% interest in four permits covering 80.35km2 and a 70 percent interest in a further four permits covering 77.73km2.

In order to accelerate this diamond exploration program, SouthernEra is preparing to:

- Conduct a geophysical survey of the highly prospective confluence area
of the Kasai and Tshikapa rivers to target the bedrock-based trap-
sites in the active river for definition of an indicated resource.
- Commence drilling next month of low-lying terraces adjacent to the
Kasai River using a mobile Conrad PP150 Banka 8 inch drill rig.
Depending on these results, a follow-up bulk sampling campaign will
enable these extensive potentially bulk-mineable deposits to be moved
to an inferred resource category.
- Commission a 10 tonne-per-hour diamond recovery plant that is
currently en route from South Africa to the DRC. This larger plant
will improve diamond recoveries.

The diamond potential of this alluvial project is highlighted by a Ministry of Mines report that during 2005 approximately 1.5 million carats were mined in the Tshikapa area. The average value of these diamonds was US$85.86 per carat. SouthernEra's dollar per carat value is expected to increase with improved recovery from the larger diamond plant and a larger and more representative sample.
The program is also focused on delineating and proving mineralization in the current floodplain deposits (known as "flats") that host more extensive potentially bulk mineable gravel deposits and a suite of distinct diamondiferous terraces within the Kasai River valley above the present river course. Remote sensing data is being utilized to map these areas. This will be followed by shallow seismic geophysical surveys to map the bedrock topography hosting potential diamond deposits.

Based on preliminary exploration results and historical data, five high interest and readily accessible targets area have been identified. These areas have the potential to host approximately 300,000 carats at grades of approximately 0.5 carats per cubic meter. The five target areas represent less than 5 percent of SouthernEra's total alluvial project area. The 2006 exploration program is geared primarily towards bringing these five high priority targets into more confident resource categories with a view to commencing commercial production in 2007.

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