BK16 DMS Treatment Plant
Tsodilo Resources Limited said it has bought a Dense Medium Separation (DMS) treatment plant that will be used at its BK16 kimberlite project located within the Orapa Kimberlite Field (OKF) in the diamond rich Botswana.
The company is currently completing the diamond core drilling program of 15 holes to a cumulative depth of 2,621 meters on both the main and satellite bodies of kimberlite BK16 in order to develop an advanced geological model.
Therefore, in anticipation of the bulk sampling program, which is scheduled to start during the second half of this year, it purchased the DMS mobile plant from De Beers Botswana.
According to Tsodilo, which is an international diamond and metals exploration company, the plant is capable of handling a 10 tons/hour head feed throughput and was used in the evaluation of AK06 (Karowe Diamond Mine) owned by Lucara Diamond Corp. It is set up and located just outside the Letlhakane village approximately 15 km directly WNW from the BK16 kimberlite pipe.
The plant is equipped among others with primary and secondary crushers (Cone and Jaw), de-sliming screens, conveyors, a scrubber with 12 mm trommel screen, a DMS preparation screen and DMS cyclone (250mm/57mm). It is equipped with a laboratory, security office and concentrate storage units.
Tsodilo Chairman and CEO, James M. Bruchs stated that they continue to advance its projects in an expedient and cost effective fashion by utilising its company owned drill rigs, geophysical equipment and now the DMS processing plant.
“This allows us to evaluate the potential of our projects in a fast and cost effective fashion which is crucial at any time but especially in today’s economic environment,” said Bruchs.
“The outlook for diamonds is very positive and we want to move BK16 along as fast as we can.”
Tsodilo said it intends to spend some time refurbishing the plant in order to start treatment of the diamondiferous BK16 kimberlite during Phase 1 of the evaluation program towards the end of 2015. Using very conservative estimated grades the company stated it intends to extract and treat some 3,500 tons in order to recover in excess over 200 carats during Phase 1 of the evaluation program.
Tsodilo has offices in Toronto, Canada and Gaborone and Maun, Botswana. It wants to join other producers in the diamond rich Botswana where mines have produced an average of 27 million carats annually in the last 10 years and Botswana is the world’s largest producer of diamonds by value. In 2014, the OKF area produced 13,355,292 carats.
