Tsodilo Resources Limited says the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security in Gaborone, Botswana has granted the renewal of Prospection License 369/2014 for a two-year period commencing October 1, 2021. 

The license area contains the Company’s BK16 kimberlite project. The diamondiferous BK16 kimberlite pipe is located within the Orapa Kimberlite Field (“OKF”) in Botswana and contains rare and valuable Type IIa diamonds. BK16 is located 37 kilometers (km) east-southeast of the Orapa Diamond Mine AK01, 25 km southeast of the Damtshaa Diamond Mine, and 13 km north-northeast of the Letlhakane Diamond Mine, all operated by Debswana and 28 km east-northeast from Lucara Diamond Corporation’s Karowe Mine (AK6). The OKF has produced such notable diamonds as the 1,109 carat ‘Lesedi La Rona’ and the 813 carat ‘Constellation’ from Lucara Diamond Corporation’s Karowe (AK6) mine.

Tsodilo’s Chairman and CEO, James M. Bruchs, commented “We are pleased that the MMGE has renewed the BK16 license which will allow us to move into our Phase II evaluation program which will be a surface bulk sample of 20,000 tonnes of kimberlite which will enhance the work already undertaken and increase confidence in the value of the diamonds and grade as we move closer to developing this asset.”

BK16

The diamondiferous BK16 kimberlite pipe is approximately 6 hectares in size at surface and is known to contain rare and valuable Type IIa diamonds. A mini-bulk sampling program was undertaken to obtain an initial determination of the quality and value of the BK16 diamonds. This was successfully undertaken via fourteen (14) 24-inch Large Diameter Drilling (LDD) totaling 3,121 meters. 2,077 tonnes (callipered) of kimberlite were extracted. From this extraction, 243 individual bulk samples were processed at the Company’s dense media separation (DMS) plant ahead of X-Ray diamond separation and final hand sorting at the Company’s secure recovery unit.