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BK11 Kimberlite, Botswana
The BK11 kimberlite is located in the Orapa kimberlite field in northern Botswana. With 8 economic kimberlites out of the 75 kimberlites discovered to date, the Orapa field has an economic ratio of more than 10%, which is much higher than the global average of 1%. The Orapa Mine produces approximately $1 billion in revenue and $800 million in operating profit per annum, and is one of the richest diamond mines in the world.
In March 2007, Firestone was awarded a prospecting licence for BK11. BK11 is located approximately 7 kilometres north-west and 20 kilometres south-east of De Beers' Letlhakane and Orapa mines, respectively. BK11 is also located approximately 5 kilometres north-east of the AK6 kimberlite, on which De Beers and African Diamonds are developing a major new mine.
BK11 was discovered by De Beers in 1974 but limited evaluation was carried out at the time. The surface area of BK11 is estimated to be 6.5 hectares, and overburden is shallow at less than 20 metres. Historical sampling on BK11 has produced grades between 2 and 17 carats per hundred tonnes.
Firestone intends to carry out a detailed evaluation programme on BK11 to provide better estimates of grade and to recover sufficient macro diamonds to provide an estimate of diamond value. The evaluation programme will consist of follow-up ground geophysics, core drilling and bulk sampling. This work is expected to be completed by the end of 2007. Subject to results, resource delineation work will be undertaken in 2008.
With the infrastructure already available in the Orapa area and a new mine being developed 5 kilometres away at AK6, the grade required for BK11 to be economically viable is modest.
