LETTERS TO THE EDITOR — Drilling for diamonds in

Your interesting commentary on the erosion of diamond pipes (“Pipes susceptible to erosion,” T.N.M., Oct. 11/93) makes it difficult to understand your newspaper’s cavalier dismissal of recent releases from Rhonda Mining Corp.

Beyond the referral to six microdiamonds, which seems negative until one considers the number and size of their cores, Rhonda is saying it has drilled into uneroded kimberlite craters which are diamondiferous. When one also considers the company was drilling near or adjacent to the Cameco discovery in Saskatchewan, which had an extremely high percentage of gemstones, finding any diamonds presents exciting possibilities.

Rhonda’s Sept. 30 update refers to “preserved kimberlite tuff zones,” which would not be present had erosion taken place. That release was followed by more confirmative information, including reports from Peter Nixon of Leeds University which state that material in the cores is from the upper portions of craters and that this material has not been found preserved elsewhere in the world.

Rhonda said there are similar geological features on other of its properties in the area, so it seems quite possible that Saskatchewan has numerous uneroded craters which still contain concentrations of diamonds, as opposed to the wide distribution discussed in your commentary.

This information could have powerful, positive economic effects for Saskatchewan and Canada. It appears your organization needs a consultant or staff member with an understanding beyond micro and macro counts to report properly on the diamond situation.

William Dintleman

St. Louis, Mo.