BlueRock Diamonds increases production and grades

Miner BlueRock Diamonds, which owns and operates the Kareevlei Diamond Mine in South Africa, is selling diamonds at a much improved average grade in the second half of the year, with production also on the increase.

The AIM-listed company reported on Monday that it had sold a parcel of 544.57 carats at tender, and that the diamonds produced and included in that tender had a grade of 3.01 carats per hundred tons showing an increase to Kareevlei's grade for August's tender production of 2.07 cpht.

The average grade for total production in the second half was 2.41 cpht versus 1.59 cpht for the first half of 2017.

BlueRock also highlighted continuous improvement in production, with August's production reaching 20,929 tonnes in comparison to 20,200 in July, and that the total tonnage for September was on target to exceed August's total as the company drew closer to their target of 25,000 tonnes per month.

Chief executive Adam Waugh said that he looked forward to the expected further improvement to grades.

"We are now well on our way to achieving profitable mining and look forward to the expected further improvement to grades as we begin blasting second level kimberlite in September ready for processing in October", he said.