New Renard 2 sampling returns more diamonds

Mineralogical work on more samples from the Renard 2 kimberlite in northern Quebec has returned 146 carats of diamonds, including some large stones.

Joint-venture partners Ashton Mining of Canada (ACA-T) and Soquem sent 117 tonnes of cuttings from six vertical reverse-circulation drill holes for dense-media separation. The process recovered 146 carats of diamonds, with 13 diamonds of more than 1 carat each.

The grade of the sample implied by the volume of the drill holes (162 tonnes) was 90 carats per 100 tonnes, or 0.9 carats per tonne. A comparable grade, 126 carats per 100 tonnes, was indicated by similar sampling on the Renard 3 kimberlite in results announced two weeks ago. Renard 3 is 200 metres southeast of Renard 2.

The Renard 2 samples included a 2.27-carat twinned crystal and a 2.05-carat equant crystal, plus a 1.87-carat partial octahedron. All three were coloured, from pale grey to pale brown.

Earlier results on Renard 2 indicated grades of 115 and 64 carats per 100 tonnes, based on much smaller sample weights. The largest diamonds in those samples were in the 1-carat range; an increase in the size of the largest diamonds is to be expected with the larger sample volume.

Results from bulk sampling on two other pipes, Renard 4 and Renard 65, are expected within a month, and diamonds have been submitted to valuers in Antwerp, Belgium for appraisal. A tonnage estimate for each of the four main pipes should be out before the end of March.