DIAMOND SPECIAL — Cliff Res. and partners plan Phillips

Joint-venture partners Cliff Resources (TSE), Triad Minerals and Black Hill Minerals plan about 5,000 metres of small-diameter drilling this year on their Phillips Range diamond property in Western Australia.

Cliff says the drill program is aimed at delineating the North, Central and Southern kimberlite lobes of the Aries pipe.

In addition, a 2,000-tonne bulk sample is planned from the North lobe. The sample is being treated at the on-site heavy media-sortex plant The joint venture budgeted $4 million for its 1994 work program. Cliff has a 30% interest, Triad 50% and Black Hill 20%, with Cliff holding an option to acquire Black Hill’s interest.

Western Australia, the most active area in Australia for diamond prospecting, hosts the Argyle mine of CRA and Ashton Mining, the world’s largest diamond mine based on carat volume, and the Bow River diamond mine of Normandy Poseidon where diamondiferous gravels originating from the Argyle AK-1 pipe are worked.

Argyle recovered 40.9 million carats in 1993, mainly from its AK-1 lamproite pipe but also from the processing of alluvials. While Argyle’s carat content is high, the mine has a low average value per carat, compared with the diamond mines of Africa, and most of its output serves the industrial market. Argyle entered production in 1985 and is expected to be producing well into the first decade of the next century.

This year, in order to maintain carat production in the face of declining grades, the owners are increasing the mill size to 8 million tonnes per year from 6 million tonnes.

At the end of 1993, AK-1 reserves stood at 82.6 million tons (proven and probable) grading 6.23 carats per tonne and 174 million tonnes (possible) at 10.7 carats.

Elsewhere in Australia, Sage Resources (VSE) has been active at the Beta Creek diamond exploration project.