JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Aim-listed Paragon Diamonds on Monday reported that the water supply pipeline to the bulk sampling plant at its Lemphane kimberlite project, in Lesotho, had been completed and tested, while delineation drilling on the kimberlite had started.

In August, Lesotho’s Ministry of Natural Resources approved Paragon’s application for a water-use permit from the Malibamatso river. The installation of the pipeline consisted of a low-pressure water extraction pump, surge tanks, generator station and high-pressure booster pump at the river, as well as a high-pressure steel and high-density polyethylene pipeline to bring water at a pressure of 40 bar to the process plant dam.

The system was designed to safely deliver the required 500 m³/d of process water to enable the bulk sampling plant to operate at its full design capacity of 30 t/h.

Meanwhile, drilling specialists Rodio Geotechnics had started drilling on the first of a series of six planned holes at Lemphane. Four holes of about 380 m that would intersect the kimberlite/basalt contacts at a depth of 350 m below surface, as well as two holes of more than 400 m to determine the characteristics, were planned.

Botswana-based consulting firm Loci Environmental would undertake an environmental-impact assessment (EIA) at Lemphane, which would, together with the scoping study that was being prepared by Paradigm Project Management, form an integral part of the company's mining lease application that was under preparation.

The EIA was expected be completed during the current quarter.

Paragon MD Stephen Grimmer said in a statement that a functioning water supply system would assist in overcoming past challenges associated with recent droughts in Lesotho, and allow the company to accelerate and complete its present bulk sampling programme.

“We anticipate drilling will also proceed rapidly, and allow us to develop a greater understanding of the Lemphane kimberlite at depth, in particular, an accurate volume determination beyond the conceptual 30-million ton to -200 m provided by the initial [National Instrument] 43-101 independent technical report of 2010," he added.