Karelian Diamond Resources plc has completed follow-up excavation up-ice of the green diamond previously discovered in the Kuhmo region of Finland.
TARGETS
Karelian said that the thickness of the glacial till cover increased up-ice to the northwest towards a swampy area, accessible to an excavator only when the ground is frozen.
“The indicator mineral train leads into a zone where there is the presence of an airborne electromagnetic anomaly,” added Karelian.
“The recent pits were targeted as close as possible down-ice of this airborne electromagnetic anomaly zone which is believed to be a likely source for the kimberlitic indicator minerals and the green diamond.
“Six of the potential kimberlite targets previously identified by geophysics are located inside this same area.
“Many of the pits were placed exactly down-ice of these targets, one of them on a straight line up-ice from the location of the green diamond discovery along the indicator mineral train.”
Karelian collected glacial till samples, each consisting of three 30kg bags of glacial till, for kimberlite indicator mineral testing from 21 locations.
Sieved samples will be sent to Overburden Drilling Management Ltd (ODM) in Canada for analysis with results expected to provide information for drill targeting.
Karelian intends to undertake a drilling programme during Winter when the frozen ground will enable a drill rig on site.
“This has been a highly successful and very encouraging excavation programme which brings the company ever closer to the discovery of the source of the Kuhmo green diamond,” added chairman Professor Richard Conroy.