Modern Mining April 2020

prospective, and this includes Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe,” says Campbell. “This region produces a third of the world’s diamonds and is host to mega diamond mines like Orapa and Jwaneng. The Kalahari of Botswana is especially prospective due to the deep sand cover which requires modern diamond prospecting techniques to find the buried kimberlites.” For Campbell, now is the perfect time to be making investments into new diamond explora- tion projects. He believes the diamond market is a powerful industry underpinned by a stable US mar- ket and an Asian demand potential, which is likely to drive future growth. This is complemented by a future price growth anticipated due to lack of signifi- cant new discoveries. Growing Botswana portfolio In Botswana, BOD has just expanded its explo- ration portfolio following the granting of six new Prospecting Licences by the Botswana Government. The new Prospecting Licences, PL017-018 of 2020 and PL066-069 of 2020 – awarded to Sunland Minerals, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BOD – are valid for three years until 31 March 2023. The licences cover an extensive area of 4 319 km² in the Central and Kgalagadi Districts, popularly known as the Kalahari. Additionally, Sunland has just had its four existing Prospecting Licenses PL001-004 of 2017 renewed by the Botswana Government. Covering a total of 1 406 km² in the Kgalagadi District, the licences

have been renewed for a further two years until 31 March 2022. Airborne and ground magnetic surveys from pre- vious work conducted by Sunland Minerals on these licences have revealed well-defined tar- gets and subsequent soil sampling over the targets identified heavy

James Campbell during a field visit to the Marange concession, Zimbabwe.

concentrations of Kimberlitic Indicator Minerals (KIMs) over the targets, particu- larly Chrome Diopsides, strongly suggesting an

Diamonds from the bulk sampling of the Thorny River project.

Left: Drilling on the Thorny River project, South Africa.

April 2020  MODERN MINING  15