London-listed Botswana Diamonds (BOD) has recovered the first diamonds from its plant commissioning activities at the Marsfontein mining permit.
The company’s 40%-owned associate Vutomi Mining was last month granted a mining permit for the diamond-bearing gravels and residual unprocessed stockpiles around the iconic mine, in South Africa.
BOD reports that plant commissioning is well advanced following the installation of an in-field screen, two rotary pans and X-ray recovery systems.
The company is further optimising the plant flow sheet, following which the company will ramp up to full production of 400 t of pan feed a day.
Chairperson John Teeling says it is noteworthy that the first diamonds were recovered within two weeks of the mining permit being granted.