Post by deeitz1969 on Sept 27, 2005 12:41:11 GMT -6
Kensington finds more diamonds
2005-09-27 14:12 ET - Street Wire
by Will Purcell
Kensington Resources Ltd. has more diamond results from its Fort a la Corne diamond project in central Saskatchewan. The latest tallies probably presented more promise than disappointment, and that will undoubtedly be of interest to Ken MacNeill's Shore Gold Inc., an eager suitor to acquire Kensington. Shore thinks it could have a mine at the nearby Star pipe, and richer regions in some of Kensington's kimberlites could add to Shore's plans. That would need some dealing with Kensington's two other partners, De Beers Canada Inc. and Cameco Corp.
The eastern pipes
The No. 121 has a surface area of 28 hectares, while the adjoining No. 221 pipe spans seven hectares. The pipes are about three kilometres north-northeast of the No. 140/141 complex and about two kilometres east of No. 148. Richer regions in those two pipes are a key part of the play.
Kensington and its partners recovered 326 diamonds larger than a 0.075-millimetre screen from No. 121. The parcel came from 295 kilograms of kimberlite drilled up from five holes into the pipe, which is immediately southeast of the No. 221 body. That diamond haul works out to about 1,100 stones per tonne.
That rate has some promotional value, especially when compared with what the partners produced in earlier tests. De Beers and Kensington processed about 875 kilograms of No. 121 kimberlite in those earlier samples, coming up with 284 diamonds larger than a 0.075-millimetre sieve. That suggests a microdiamond rate of 325 stones per tonne, which is less than one-third the value from the latest batches.
One richer hole in the latest test accounted for much of the difference. About 156 kilograms of kimberlite in that batch yielded 248 of the diamonds, for a rate of about 1,600 diamonds per tonne. Nevertheless, the other four holes drilled last year also produced microdiamonds at a better rate.
The remaining 139 kilograms of No. 121 kimberlite contained 78 gems, pointing to a rate of about 550 stones per tonne. That was closer to what the earlier tests revealed, but the diamond rate in the four new holes nevertheless remained about 50 per cent higher then the historical data.
The size distribution of the latest parcel did not match the encouragement provided by the microdiamond tallies, but there are some hopeful signs nevertheless. Of the 202 diamonds found clinging to a 0.106-millimetre sieve, only 16 sat on a 0.30-millimetre mesh. That works out to about 8 per cent of the parcel, and the five diamonds larger than a 0.425-millimetre screen gives a rate of about 2.5 per cent.
Those values seem lacklustre when compared with the tallies posted on many projects in Canada's North. Nevertheless, the numbers compare well with what Kensington and De Beers found in their priority pipes over the past few years.
For instance, the partners processed 416 kilograms of kimberlite from the richer material in their No. 140/141 pipe last year. The rock revealed 916 diamonds, suggesting a rate of about 2,200 stones per tonne. Of the 431 stones remaining on a 0.106-millimetre sieve, just 18 clung to a 0.30-millimetre sieve. That accounts for about 4 per cent of the haul. The six diamonds found sitting on a 0.425-millimetre mesh works out to just 1.4 per cent of the 431-stone parcel.
The richer phases within No. 140/141 produced microdiamonds at twice the rate of the five holes drilled into No. 121. Still, the proportion of larger diamonds in the latter pipe are double what the better rock at No. 140/141 revealed. That is encouraging, as the material within the No. 140/141 complex produced modeled grades of about 0.1 carat per tonne, or a bit higher.
Adding to the hint of sparkle at No. 121 was a single large diamond. That stone clung to a 2.80-millimetre sieve and it weighed nearly 0.42 carat. The find was clearly a stroke of good luck, as the 328 other diamonds weighed a combined 0.02 carat. Nevertheless, the find adds more promotability to the notion that No. 121 could have a coarser diamond size distribution curve than many other Fort a la Corne pipes.
The pipe could move up the priority list as a result. De Beers and Kensington did process a series of modest mini-bulk tests of No. 121 in the 1990s, coming up with a mix of results. In all, about 60.2 tonnes of kimberlite produced 2.34 carats, good for a grade of 0.039 carat per tonne. The parcel contained 63 stones, suggesting an average diamond weight of about 0.037 carat.
A few of the tests produced better results. Three of the central holes produced 2.11 carats from about 40 tonnes of kimberlite, which works out to a grade of 0.053 carat per tonne. The parcel contained 55 macrodiamonds, suggesting an average stone weight of about 0.038 carat. Far larger samples typically produce significantly better grades and diamond sizes than small batches of kimberlite. There is a hint of hope in the earlier small tests as a result.
The partners also produced an intriguing set of tallies from three holes drilled into the No. 221 pipe. De Beers processed 203 kilograms of kimberlite from No. 221, coming up with 168 diamonds. That works out to 830 stones per tonne.
That was closer to what No. 121 revealed, but the rate was far better than earlier tests of No. 221. The companies processed 264 kilograms of kimberlite in the first sets of tests, coming up with 62 diamonds larger than a 0.075-millimetre sieve. That points to a microdiamond rate of about 235 stones per tonne, again less than one-third what the latest test revealed.
No. 221 also offered some size distribution encouragement. There were nine diamonds large enough to sit on a 0.30-millimetre sieve, and that works out to about 9 per cent of the 99 stones that clung to a 0.106-millimetre sieve. The two diamonds larger than a 0.425-millimetre screen works out to about 2 per cent of the parcel. Those rates are roughly comparable with what Kensington found in No. 121 and they seem superior to what the richer rock at the promotable No. 140/141 complex delivered.
The partners tried just one small mini-bulk test of No. 221 in the past. That 1996 sample weighed 4.66 tonnes and it contained 21 diamonds weighing 0.341 carat. The grade was comparable with what No. 121 delivered, at 0.041 carat per tonne. The average stone size was far from stellar however, at just 0.016 carat. Still, it will take larger tests to provide an indication of the diamond grade and size distribution.
The No. 148 area
Kensington and its partners have new counts from two 135-hectare bodies surrounding No. 148, another pipe in their tentative plans. The best results arguably came from No. 147, which lies immediately northeast of No. 148. About 515 kilograms of kimberlite produced 2,432 diamonds, a rate of 4,700 stones per tonne. That was much higher than 292 kilograms of rock produced in earlier tests. That material produced 431 diamonds, for a rate of less than 1,500 stones per tonne.
The size distribution was mildly encouraging as well. Of the 1,597 new diamonds larger than a 0.106-millimetre cut-off, there were 120 stones found clinging to a 0.30-millimetre screen. That works out to 7.5 per cent. There were 27 diamonds sitting on a 0.425-millimetre sieve, which is 1.7 per cent of the parcel. Those proportions are not quite a match for No. 121, but they do seem superior to those from No. 140/141.
Kensington and De Beers also processed rock from eight drill holes completed into the No. 120 pipe, just northwest of No. 148. The latest material weighed 643 kilograms and the rock yielded 962 microdiamonds larger than a 0.075-millimetre sieve. That works out to about 1,500 stones per tonne, handily topping the tallies from the five holes into No. 121. That was well below what the companies recovered from a recent test of the nearby No. 148 pipe, where 740 kilograms of rock yielded diamonds at a rate of about 2,800 stones per tonne.
The Fort a la Corne partners processed about 1,105 kilograms during their earlier efforts at No. 120. That work revealed 734 diamonds, although just 592 of the stones sat on a 0.075-millimetre sieve. That works out to about 540 diamonds per tonne, barely one-third of what the latest samples revealed.
Although the No. 120 pipe produced the best stone counts in the recent tests, the size distribution lagged behind what the other pipes delivered. There were 25 diamonds remaining on the 0.30-millimetre sieve, which works out to about 4.1 per cent of the 606 microdiamonds found clinging to a 0.106-millimetre mesh. Only five of the diamonds sat on a 0.425-millimetre screen, or about 0.8 per cent of the parcel.
Those proportions are roughly half of what the other pipes delivered. Still, there was a larger diamond in the mix, although the find was far smaller than the toutable rock recovered from No. 121. The one large diamond in the No. 120 test sat on a 1.4-millimetre sieve and the stone probably weighed close to 0.03 carat.
The proportions of larger diamonds in No. 120 are closer to what the partners found in No. 148, where about 5.6 per cent of the parcel sat on a 0.30-millimetre screen and about two per cent sat on a 0.425-millimetre mesh. That leaves a ray of hope for finding richer regions within No. 120.
Earlier mini-bulk tests offer signs of hope from the pipes surrounding No. 148. About 78 tonnes of rock from No. 147 produced a grade of 0.053 carat per tonne and 206 tonnes from No. 120 delivered a grade of 0.028 carat per tonne. The partners think both bodies could contain some richer regions of economic interest and the latest tests offer some support those hopes.
Kensington lost 13 cents Monday, closing at $3.85 on 330,000 shares.
www.stockwatch.com/swnet/newsit/newsit_newsit.aspx?bid=B-484578-C:KRT&symbol=KRT&news_region=C
2005-09-27 14:12 ET - Street Wire
by Will Purcell
Kensington Resources Ltd. has more diamond results from its Fort a la Corne diamond project in central Saskatchewan. The latest tallies probably presented more promise than disappointment, and that will undoubtedly be of interest to Ken MacNeill's Shore Gold Inc., an eager suitor to acquire Kensington. Shore thinks it could have a mine at the nearby Star pipe, and richer regions in some of Kensington's kimberlites could add to Shore's plans. That would need some dealing with Kensington's two other partners, De Beers Canada Inc. and Cameco Corp.
The eastern pipes
The No. 121 has a surface area of 28 hectares, while the adjoining No. 221 pipe spans seven hectares. The pipes are about three kilometres north-northeast of the No. 140/141 complex and about two kilometres east of No. 148. Richer regions in those two pipes are a key part of the play.
Kensington and its partners recovered 326 diamonds larger than a 0.075-millimetre screen from No. 121. The parcel came from 295 kilograms of kimberlite drilled up from five holes into the pipe, which is immediately southeast of the No. 221 body. That diamond haul works out to about 1,100 stones per tonne.
That rate has some promotional value, especially when compared with what the partners produced in earlier tests. De Beers and Kensington processed about 875 kilograms of No. 121 kimberlite in those earlier samples, coming up with 284 diamonds larger than a 0.075-millimetre sieve. That suggests a microdiamond rate of 325 stones per tonne, which is less than one-third the value from the latest batches.
One richer hole in the latest test accounted for much of the difference. About 156 kilograms of kimberlite in that batch yielded 248 of the diamonds, for a rate of about 1,600 diamonds per tonne. Nevertheless, the other four holes drilled last year also produced microdiamonds at a better rate.
The remaining 139 kilograms of No. 121 kimberlite contained 78 gems, pointing to a rate of about 550 stones per tonne. That was closer to what the earlier tests revealed, but the diamond rate in the four new holes nevertheless remained about 50 per cent higher then the historical data.
The size distribution of the latest parcel did not match the encouragement provided by the microdiamond tallies, but there are some hopeful signs nevertheless. Of the 202 diamonds found clinging to a 0.106-millimetre sieve, only 16 sat on a 0.30-millimetre mesh. That works out to about 8 per cent of the parcel, and the five diamonds larger than a 0.425-millimetre screen gives a rate of about 2.5 per cent.
Those values seem lacklustre when compared with the tallies posted on many projects in Canada's North. Nevertheless, the numbers compare well with what Kensington and De Beers found in their priority pipes over the past few years.
For instance, the partners processed 416 kilograms of kimberlite from the richer material in their No. 140/141 pipe last year. The rock revealed 916 diamonds, suggesting a rate of about 2,200 stones per tonne. Of the 431 stones remaining on a 0.106-millimetre sieve, just 18 clung to a 0.30-millimetre sieve. That accounts for about 4 per cent of the haul. The six diamonds found sitting on a 0.425-millimetre mesh works out to just 1.4 per cent of the 431-stone parcel.
The richer phases within No. 140/141 produced microdiamonds at twice the rate of the five holes drilled into No. 121. Still, the proportion of larger diamonds in the latter pipe are double what the better rock at No. 140/141 revealed. That is encouraging, as the material within the No. 140/141 complex produced modeled grades of about 0.1 carat per tonne, or a bit higher.
Adding to the hint of sparkle at No. 121 was a single large diamond. That stone clung to a 2.80-millimetre sieve and it weighed nearly 0.42 carat. The find was clearly a stroke of good luck, as the 328 other diamonds weighed a combined 0.02 carat. Nevertheless, the find adds more promotability to the notion that No. 121 could have a coarser diamond size distribution curve than many other Fort a la Corne pipes.
The pipe could move up the priority list as a result. De Beers and Kensington did process a series of modest mini-bulk tests of No. 121 in the 1990s, coming up with a mix of results. In all, about 60.2 tonnes of kimberlite produced 2.34 carats, good for a grade of 0.039 carat per tonne. The parcel contained 63 stones, suggesting an average diamond weight of about 0.037 carat.
A few of the tests produced better results. Three of the central holes produced 2.11 carats from about 40 tonnes of kimberlite, which works out to a grade of 0.053 carat per tonne. The parcel contained 55 macrodiamonds, suggesting an average stone weight of about 0.038 carat. Far larger samples typically produce significantly better grades and diamond sizes than small batches of kimberlite. There is a hint of hope in the earlier small tests as a result.
The partners also produced an intriguing set of tallies from three holes drilled into the No. 221 pipe. De Beers processed 203 kilograms of kimberlite from No. 221, coming up with 168 diamonds. That works out to 830 stones per tonne.
That was closer to what No. 121 revealed, but the rate was far better than earlier tests of No. 221. The companies processed 264 kilograms of kimberlite in the first sets of tests, coming up with 62 diamonds larger than a 0.075-millimetre sieve. That points to a microdiamond rate of about 235 stones per tonne, again less than one-third what the latest test revealed.
No. 221 also offered some size distribution encouragement. There were nine diamonds large enough to sit on a 0.30-millimetre sieve, and that works out to about 9 per cent of the 99 stones that clung to a 0.106-millimetre sieve. The two diamonds larger than a 0.425-millimetre screen works out to about 2 per cent of the parcel. Those rates are roughly comparable with what Kensington found in No. 121 and they seem superior to what the richer rock at the promotable No. 140/141 complex delivered.
The partners tried just one small mini-bulk test of No. 221 in the past. That 1996 sample weighed 4.66 tonnes and it contained 21 diamonds weighing 0.341 carat. The grade was comparable with what No. 121 delivered, at 0.041 carat per tonne. The average stone size was far from stellar however, at just 0.016 carat. Still, it will take larger tests to provide an indication of the diamond grade and size distribution.
The No. 148 area
Kensington and its partners have new counts from two 135-hectare bodies surrounding No. 148, another pipe in their tentative plans. The best results arguably came from No. 147, which lies immediately northeast of No. 148. About 515 kilograms of kimberlite produced 2,432 diamonds, a rate of 4,700 stones per tonne. That was much higher than 292 kilograms of rock produced in earlier tests. That material produced 431 diamonds, for a rate of less than 1,500 stones per tonne.
The size distribution was mildly encouraging as well. Of the 1,597 new diamonds larger than a 0.106-millimetre cut-off, there were 120 stones found clinging to a 0.30-millimetre screen. That works out to 7.5 per cent. There were 27 diamonds sitting on a 0.425-millimetre sieve, which is 1.7 per cent of the parcel. Those proportions are not quite a match for No. 121, but they do seem superior to those from No. 140/141.
Kensington and De Beers also processed rock from eight drill holes completed into the No. 120 pipe, just northwest of No. 148. The latest material weighed 643 kilograms and the rock yielded 962 microdiamonds larger than a 0.075-millimetre sieve. That works out to about 1,500 stones per tonne, handily topping the tallies from the five holes into No. 121. That was well below what the companies recovered from a recent test of the nearby No. 148 pipe, where 740 kilograms of rock yielded diamonds at a rate of about 2,800 stones per tonne.
The Fort a la Corne partners processed about 1,105 kilograms during their earlier efforts at No. 120. That work revealed 734 diamonds, although just 592 of the stones sat on a 0.075-millimetre sieve. That works out to about 540 diamonds per tonne, barely one-third of what the latest samples revealed.
Although the No. 120 pipe produced the best stone counts in the recent tests, the size distribution lagged behind what the other pipes delivered. There were 25 diamonds remaining on the 0.30-millimetre sieve, which works out to about 4.1 per cent of the 606 microdiamonds found clinging to a 0.106-millimetre mesh. Only five of the diamonds sat on a 0.425-millimetre screen, or about 0.8 per cent of the parcel.
Those proportions are roughly half of what the other pipes delivered. Still, there was a larger diamond in the mix, although the find was far smaller than the toutable rock recovered from No. 121. The one large diamond in the No. 120 test sat on a 1.4-millimetre sieve and the stone probably weighed close to 0.03 carat.
The proportions of larger diamonds in No. 120 are closer to what the partners found in No. 148, where about 5.6 per cent of the parcel sat on a 0.30-millimetre screen and about two per cent sat on a 0.425-millimetre mesh. That leaves a ray of hope for finding richer regions within No. 120.
Earlier mini-bulk tests offer signs of hope from the pipes surrounding No. 148. About 78 tonnes of rock from No. 147 produced a grade of 0.053 carat per tonne and 206 tonnes from No. 120 delivered a grade of 0.028 carat per tonne. The partners think both bodies could contain some richer regions of economic interest and the latest tests offer some support those hopes.
Kensington lost 13 cents Monday, closing at $3.85 on 330,000 shares.
www.stockwatch.com/swnet/newsit/newsit_newsit.aspx?bid=B-484578-C:KRT&symbol=KRT&news_region=C