Name of the Project
Krone-Endora at Venetia project expansion.

Location
Limpopo, South Africa.

Project Owner/s
Diamcor Mining.

Project Description
The project entails a two-phase expansion of the processing facilities at the Krone-Endora at Venetia project.

The first phase will double the current processing volumes in the near term. The second phase is aimed at finalising the project’s mining and processing scheme to significantly enhance long-term processing volume capabilities as part of the company’s overall long-term mineral project management strategy.

The initial phase includes the installation of a new materials handling step (scrubbing), the improvement and expansion of the diamond concentration system, the installation of a new electronic diamond X-ray recovery unit and various other refinements to lower water and power consumption on a per-ton basis.

A second, larger phase will focus on completing the groundwork necessary for future expansion capabilities.

Diamcor plans to consolidate its current facilities to further increase throughputs, reduce the overall processing footprint and unit costs, and minimise environmental disturbance. Additional heavy equipment will also be added if required to support these objectives. This overall strategy will be supported by the parallel activities of drilling and bulk sampling of prospective target areas.

The project is not expected to affect the processing efforts currently under way.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
Not stated.

Planned Start/End Date
Phase 1 of the project has been completed. The initial upgrades were originally targeted for completion by the end of September 2021.

Latest Developments
Diamcor plans to accelerate certain portions of the planned Phase 2 expansion project at its Krone-Endora at Venetia project.

“Given the current strength of rough diamonds prices and the potential for additional shortages moving forward, we have elected to accelerate the completion of certain portions of our second phase of upgrades earlier than planned,” CEO Dean Taylor said in March 2022. 

The items being accelerated will enhance the upgrades already completed in Phase 1 and provide Diamcor with the ability to increase processing volumes in the shortest period of time. It will also position the company to capitalise on any further increases in rough diamond prices or supply shortages should they occur as the project progresses.

The areas that will be accelerated include the installation of additional screening, water management systems and various other associated infrastructure items.

The installation of these items ahead of schedule is aimed at increasing the current processing volumes and efficiencies of the completed Phase 1 expansions, while continuing to support the company’s overall planned Phase 2 expansions.

Diamcor states that, while the installation of additional X-ray diamond sorting units remains a priority, these items are largely driven by manufacturer delivery times. The company is also confident that the previous upgrades made to the project’s current X-ray units and final recovery systems will support the increased volumes.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Diamcor Mining, tel  +1 250 862 3212 or email info@diamcormining.com.