Stornoway and BHP ‘nine for nine’ at Aviat

Vancouver Partners Stornoway Diamond (SWY-V) and BHP Billiton Diamonds have recovered a total of 131 diamonds from three newly discovered kimberlites at the Aviat project on Melville Pennisula, in eastern Nunavut. All nine kimberlites discovered to date on the project have been proven to be diamondiferous.

Small surface grab samples from the AV6 kimberlite returned 41 diamonds from 35.3 kg of core, while 49 diamonds were recovered from 35.1 kg of core at AV7. AV8 returned 41 diamonds from 31 kg of core.

Results are expected shortly from additional small samples taken from each of the three targets. Larger samples, about 2 tonnes in total, were collected from the surface exposures of the AV6, 7 and 8 kimberlites and are now being processed. Results are expected early next year.

The newly tested diamondiferous bodies are hypabyssal kimberlites, similar to those previously discovered on the property. The bodies are described as “sheet-like” in nature, but additional dimensions have not yet been determined.

All nine kimberlites discovered to date are within the 70-km-long Tremblay indictor-mineral corridor. Stornoway President Eira Thomas notes that sampling results from the nine targets, combined with “excellent” mineral chemistry from the Tremblay Corridor, “continue to support the possibility of an economic discovery from the property.”

Stornoway holds 70% of the project, while BHP has a 20% stake. The remainder is held by Hunter Exploration Group.