26th Jan 2006 15:07
New micro-diamond results indicate main vent of DO-27 kimberlite may grade greater than 1 carat per tonne 0.42, 0.22, 0.12 & 0.11 CARAT DIAMONDS FOUND IN N.Q. DIAMETER (47mm) CORE HOLES Shares issued and outstanding: 128,343,101 TSX: SDM AIM: SRE TORONTO, ON and LONDON, UK, Jan. 26 /CNW/ - SouthernEra Diamonds Inc.(TSX: SDM; AIM: SRE) has received the following report from Peregrine DiamondsLtd, operating partner of the WO Project Joint Venture, with regards to recentcore drilling results at the DO-27 kimberlite, NWT, Canada. The core drillingprogram has returned consistent micro-diamond values indicating that the mainvent of the plus 9 hectare pipe may grade greater than 1 carat per tonne. Allgrade predictive curves based on micro-diamond sampling of the main vent havereached or exceeded 1 carat per tonne and have not approached asymptote. In the Spring and Summer of 2005, subsequent to the completion of a151 tonne, mini-bulk sample of the main vent of DO-27, which graded0.98 carats/tonne from the central portion of the pipe as previously reported,a total of 2245 meters in 11 N.Q. core holes was drilled into DO-27. Fourholes were drilled into the main vent of the pipe and the remaining holes weredrilled into the north-eastern subsidiary lobe of DO-27. The purpose of thecore drilling was: - To better understand the internal geology and diamond distribution of DO-27 in relation to the two apparently different kimberlite phases encountered during the reverse circulation ("RC"), mini-bulk sample, drilling program, - To gain information on the extent and geology of the DO-27 pipe below 200 meters, and - To better understand the geology and diamond distribution of the north-eastern lobe of DO-27, and how it relates to the main pipe. The complete micro-diamond results have now been received from theSaskatchewan Research and Geo-Analytical Council ("SRC") for three holes (DO-27-05-02, DO-27-05-03, and DO-27-05-08) drilled into the main vent of DO-27, and all returned values consistent with a strongly diamondiferouskimberlite, as also evidenced by the 2005 mini-bulk sample. The presence oflarge diamonds, up to 0.42 carats, in micro-diamond samples is extremelyencouraging. The fact that relatively small diameter core holes (47 mm) areconsistently encountering diamonds of this size bodes well for the ultimategrade of the pipe. The micro-diamond results were also quite consistent throughout the pipe,with grade predictive plots indicating grades greater than 1 carat/tonne fromthe main vent which represents the majority of the DO-27 pipe. Furthermore,the grade plots indicate that diamond grade is expected to be consistent atdepths greater than 200 meters. The grade predictive plots and a location mapfor the three holes can be viewed on SouthernEra's web site under "News". Themicro-diamond results per sieve classes (in mm for square mesh), aresummarized as follows: ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- Hole No. DO27-05-02 - LPK DO27-05-02 - OMPK ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- Intercept in metres 56 to 341 m 341 to 459.5 m ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- Total Total Total Total Lower Sieve Stones Carats Stones Carats ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +4.75 mm 0 0 0 0 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +3.35 mm 0 0 0 0 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +2.36 mm 0 0 0 0 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +1.70 mm 1 0.11879 0 0 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +1.18 mm 2 0.07447 2 0.050745 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +0.85 mm 14 0.121565 3 0.038305 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +0.60 mm 33 0.10451 10 0.046225 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +0.425 mm 51 0.07444 29 0.049485 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +0.300 mm 103 0.05033 41 0.0262 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +0.212 mm 136 0.024335 71 0.015335 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +0.150 mm 164 0.0113 109 0.007285 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +0.106 mm 254 0.006935 148 0.00465 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +0.075 mm 367 0.004195 284 0.00336 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- Sample Weight (kg) 340.70 kg 247.78 kg ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- Stones per kg 2.88 2.81 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- Hole No. DO27-05-03 - PK DO27-05-08 - PK Intercept in metres 59 to 230 m 30.5 to 238 m ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- Total Total Total Total Lower Sieve Stones Carats Stones Carats ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +4.75 mm 0 0 0 0 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +3.35 mm 1 0.422525 0 0 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +2.36 mm 2 0.308825 0 0 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +1.70 mm 3 0.224845 0 0 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +1.18 mm 8 0.20091 4 0.13436 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +0.85 mm 10 0.10042 5 0.048425 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +0.60 mm 45 0.167025 14 0.055455 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +0.425 mm 80 0.10269 18 0.023415 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +0.300 mm 123 0.062265 36 0.01804 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +0.212 mm 188 0.032515 41 0.006835 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +0.150 mm 290 0.018345 66 0.004495 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +0.106 mm 364 0.01 127 0.003285 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- +0.075 mm 455 0.005355 119 0.001675 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- SampleWeight (kg) 536.70 kg 148.05 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- Stones per kg 2.92 2.90 ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------- (x) Lower sieve size given in mm, for square mesh. Hole DO-27-05-02 was drilled to a depth of 459.5 meters (1509 feet), andended in kimberlite, confirming that the DO-27 pipe extends to at least thisdepth. All four holes drilled into the main vent of DO-27 intersectedpyroclastic kimberlite (PK), which can be broadly subdivided into 3 texturalvarieties. In the central part of the pipe, hole DO27-05-02 encountered asequence of layered pyroclastics (LPK) to a depth of 341 meters. This hole wasdrilled approximately 10 meters to the north of mini-bulk sample hole RC05-02(which returned a grade of 0.96 carats/tonne) and is considered, at this time,to be representative of the central portion of the main vent. Between 341 and459.5 meters, at depths beyond what was tested in the 2005 RC, mini-bulksample program, this hole intersected olivine macrocrystal pyroclastickimberlite (OMPK) with grade predictive plots indicating grades consistentwith the upper horizons. Hole DO27-05-03, which was drilled approximately10 meters to the south of mini-bulk sample hole RC05-03 (which returned agrade of 0.70 carats/tonne), intersected massive green pyroclastics (PK) to adepth of 230 meters. The grade predictive plot from DO27-05-03 indicatesgrades may be higher than those in DO27-05-02, as the grade predictive curvefor this hole has not yet reached asymptote at 3 carats per tonne. Theseencouraging micro-diamond results suggest that RC05-03 possibly under-statedthe true grade of this part of the pipe possibly due to the smaller size ofthe sample for this zone. Hole DO27-05-08 was drilled from the north-easternlobe into the main vent of DO-27. This hole also encountered mainly massivegreen pyroclastics, texturally similar to those in Hole DO27-05-03. Micro-diamond results from Hole DO27-05-08 are consistent with those from thecentral part of the pipe. The fourth hole drilled into the main vent has notbeen sampled at this time as the 2006 bulk sample will be extractingkimberlite from this zone. These micro-diamond results suggest that all thepyroclastic kimberlite units (PK, LPK & OMPK) encountered thus far in the mainvent of DO-27 are likely to grade 1 carat per tonne or better. The geology of the north-eastern lobe of DO-27 is more complex than themain vent, consisting of an upper volcaniclastic unit, a pyroclastic unitsimilar to, and apparently contiguous with, the main vent (PK unit) and alower, highly variable volcaniclastic unit underlain by a variety ofvolcaniclastic microbreccias and hypabyssal rocks. Complete micro-diamondresults for the 7 N.Q. core holes drilled into this zone will be released whenall the results are received from SRC. A large bulk sample of DO-27 isscheduled to begin shortly. More information concerning this bulk sample willbe released as the program progresses. The WO project diamond programs are conducted under the direction ofDr. Jennifer Pell, Vice President Exploration, P. Geo., (BC), P.Geol (NT/NU)of Peregrine Diamonds, a qualified person under NI 43-101. SouthernEra holds a 4.9% interest in the WO Diamond Project. SouthernEra Diamonds is one of Canada's largest fully integrated diamondcompanies with extensive diamond exploration in five countries includingCanada, Gabon, the DRC, Zimbabwe and South Africa. This represents one of themost active global diamond exploration programs after the majors DeBeers, BHPBand Rio Tinto. The Company also operates the Klipspringer Diamond Mine inSouth Africa and maintains an 18 percent free-carried interest in the CamafucaDiamond 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 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 (SDM. SRE) ENDSOUTHERNERA DIAMONDS INCRelated Shares:
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