Mbelenge

The Mbelenge project comprises four concessions, each with mining permits, along the Kasaï River approximately 20km south from the inland river port of Ndjoko-Punda. The northern area has limited historical prospecting activity, while the southern areas host widespread artisanal digging operations.

A DMS plant was commissioned in June 2007 achieving design throughput by the end of the year. Whilst terrace gravel grades realised were lower than forecast, the quality of the diamonds was in line with expectations at US$83 per carat.

In 2008 sampling was shifted to the river flood plains, which proved to host more than double the grade than that of the terraces, still insufficient to warrant the development of a large scale mine. Accordingly sampling operations were moved to the modern day river where samples were obtained using dredges and a partial river diversion. Indicative grades in the river were a favourable 1ct/m³. An appropriate mass mining technique to exploit this deposit remains to be determined.