Modern Mining January 2021

DIAMONDS

First production carats from Newfield’s Tongo mine As development continues apace at Newfield Resources Limited’s Tongo mine in eastern Sierra Leone, executive director Karl

Smithson tells Modern Mining that first kimberlite was intersected in December 2020, yielding the first production diamonds. The high grades and diamond values are a key factor in the success of the project, writes Munesu Shoko .

A SX-listed Newfield Resources has achieved good progress at its Tongo mine project with key project milestones reached thus far. Executive director Karl Smithson reports that the underground decline development has exceeded 550 m and first kim- berlite was intersected in December last year, which yielded the first carats from the mine. 2021 will see further development to establish mining faces prior to a ramp up in production carats in 2022. The first run of mine (diluted) kimberlite from the Kundu ore reserve has been processed via the recently established 5 tph bulk sampling process- ing plant. The material hauled from underground is being processed as part of the commissioning process of the plant and has yielded first produc- tion diamonds from the mine. The larger processing plant is currently being fabricated and will be ready for commissioning by mid-year.

Selection of first production diamonds from the Tongo Diamond Mine. As mine development continues, the volume of run of mine material from the Return Airway (RAW) will increase and its processing, as well as underground surveying of volumes, will allow a rec- onciliation of the Kundu kimberlite grade versus the ore reserve grade estimate. Progressive build up in kimberlite tonnes and carat recoveries is expected

Newfield reports that the underground decline development has exceeded 550 m.

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18  MODERN MINING  January 2021