8th Sep 2006 07:00
SouthernEra reports diamonds from DD17-11 kimberlite monument property,Northwest Territories, Canada Shares issued and outstanding: 160,054,229 TSX: SDM AIM: SRE - 182 diamonds recovered from 280.3 kg. of DD17-11 drill core TORONTO and LONDON, Sept. 7 /CNW/ - SouthernEra Diamonds Inc. (TSX: SDM;AIM: SRE) is pleased to report on microdiamond results for kimberlite pipeDD17-11 on the Monument Diamond Project at Lac de Gras, Northwest Territories,Canada. The kimberlite sample represents total core from two holes drilled inthe spring 2006 program. Kennecott Canada Exploration Inc. (Kennecott) first discovered theDD17-11 kimberlite pipe in 1994. Kennecott drilled a single -45 degreesinclined drill hole in DD17-11 that intersected kimberlite between 29.9m and86.1m, ending the hole in metasediments at 92.0m. Kimberlite DD17-11 wastested in spring 2006 by the joint venture partners with two inclined drillholes collared from the same setup. Drill hole MON06-04, inclined at -45degrees intersected kimberlite between 24.0m and 57.0m, ending at 67.6 metersdepth. Drill hole MON06-05, inclined at -70 degrees, intersected kimberlitebetween 41.6m to 93.1m, ending at 101 meters depth. The drill holes sampledpyroclastic kimberlite, which was mineralized with kimberlite indicatorminerals, including large chrome diopside xenocrysts and abundant mantlexenoliths. Drill core was logged, photographed, and sampled with select coresamples retained for reference. All remaining BQ thinwall size diamond drillcore from DD17-11 was analyzed for microdiamonds. In total 280.3 kilograms of kimberlite DD17-11 drill core was submittedfor microdiamond analysis to Saskatchewan Research Council GeoanalyticalLaboratories (SRC). Whole core sampling was successful in assembling ameaningful population of microdiamonds. The number of diamonds reporting toeach square mesh sieve from both diamond drill holes is presented in thefollowing table: Combined 0.075 0.106 0.15 0.212 0.3 0.425 0.6 0.85 1.18 1.70 Weight mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm (kg) Sieve Sieve Sieve Sieve Sieve Sieve Sieve Sieve Sieve Sieve ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 280.3 68 40 33 25 8 3 1 2 1 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total Diamonds --------- 182 --------- (1) Saskatchewan Research Council Geoanalytical Laboratories (SRC) are accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard by the Standards Council of Canada as a testing laboratory for specific tests. (2) The two largest diamonds measured 2.56 x 2.30 x 1.80 mm and 2.60 x 1.86 x 1.52 mm. The joint venture partners are pleased with the larger stones thatimprove the DD17-11 microdiamond distribution curve. The partners are alsoencouraged with the recently announced microdiamond results returned from theRIP and DD17 kimberlite pipes which are in close proximity to DD17-11 and areplanning to conduct additional drilling. DD17-11 is located 200 meters east ofkimberlite RIP, which is located 50 meters east of kimberlite DD17.Photographs of the larger microdiamonds are posted on SouthernEra's website. Outstanding from the spring 2006 drill program are diamond results fromtwo new kimberlite discoveries, Nic and Sonja, which are located west of DD17within the 1.2 km long blue-pearl kimberlite cluster. Results are expected inthe third quarter of 2006. In addition to the spring 2006 drill program, the partners recentlycompleted the collection of 91 regional and detail till samples on theMonument Property. The sampling program will better define existingkimberlitic indicator mineral dispersal trains that have not been effectivelyexplained by kimberlite discoveries to date and generate additional drilltargets. Till samples have been shipped to SRC for processing. Results areexpected prior to the spring 2007 program. The Monument Property consists of three mining leases located on thesouth shore of Lac de Gras, NWT at the south end of a kimberlite emplacementcorridor that hosts the Ekati Diamond Mine (operated by BHP Billiton).Kimberlite pipes discovered on the property to date include DD17, DD17-11,DD39, DD42, RIP, Nic and Sonja. Of these kimberlites DD17, DD17-11, DD39, DD42and RIP are known to be diamond bearing. Five kimberlite pipes (Sonja, Nic,DD17, RIP and DD17-11) are located centrally on the property in closeproximity to each other. Kimberlite pipe DD42 and two kimberlite dykes DD2002and DD42 East are located in the north portion of the property and kimberlitepipe DD39 is located in the south east portion. The project is operated by New Nadina under supervision of Mr. K. R.Kivi, P.Geol., an independent Qualified Person as defined by NationalInstrument 43-101. Field operations were supervised by Mr. Uwe Naeher,P.Geol., Western Exploration Manager for SouthernEra Diamonds. Mr. Kivi andMr. Naeher have reviewed the content of this news release. The Monument project is owned 22.11% by SouthernEra Diamonds Inc., 57.49%by New Nadina Explorations Limited and 20.4% by Archon Minerals Ltd. with a 1%Royalty payable to each Kennecott Canada Exploration Inc. and DHK DiamondsInc. SouthernEra Diamonds is one of Canada's fully integrated diamondcompanies with extensive kimberlite diamond exploration and alluvial programsin the DRC as well as other countries including Canada, Gabon, Zimbabwe andSouth Africa. The Company also holds a 57% interest in the KlipspringerDiamond Mine in South Africa and maintains an 18 percent free-carried interestin the Camafuca Diamond Project in Angola. Some statements contained in this news release are forward-looking and,therefore, involve uncertainties or risks that could cause actual results todiffer materially. Such forward-looking statements include comments regardingexploration work. Actual results could differ materially from thoseanticipated. The Company disclaims any obligation to update forward-lookingstatements.For further information: SouthernEra Diamonds Inc. - Howard M. Bird, SeniorVice President, Exploration, or Sharon Allan, Investor Relations, Telephone:(416) 359-9282, Fax: (416) 359-9141, E-mail: inbox(at)southernera.com,www.southernera.com; London: 4C-Burvale, Carina Corbett, Director, Telephone:++44 (0) 207-907-4761, Fax: ++44 (0) 207-907-4769, Email:Corbett(at)4c-burvale.co.uk(SRE) ENDSOUTHERNERA DIAMONDS INCRelated Shares:
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