Modern Mining September 2019

Record monthly production at Lucapa mines

2019, produced two records during the month of August. A monthly processing record of 120 736 tonnes treated was achieved, recovering a record 2 911 car- ats, taking year-to-date carat production to 17 935 carats. The new 1,1 Mt/a plant at Mothae incor- porates XRT technology (which is also used at Lulo). The mine, which exploits an 8,8 ha kimberlite pipe, has an estimated life of plus 20 years at present processing rates. Mothae, in which Lucapa has a 70 % interest with the Government of Lesotho holding the balance, is Africa’s newest kimberlite mine. It is located within the dia- mond-rich Maluti Mountains within 20 km of three other diamond mines. The project was acquired by Lucapa in 2017. Lucapa achieved a consolidated net profit after tax of US$1,1 million in the six months ended 30 June 2019, compared with a loss of US$4,3 million in the com- parative June 2018 half year. 

ASX-listed Lucapa Diamond Company and its project partners have reported record monthly diamond production results from both the Lulo and Mothae high-value dia- mond mines for August 2019. The record monthly production figures for Lulo and Mothae come on the back of the company’s growth-focused strategy, leading to the scaling up of production at both mines to maximise revenue genera- tion and returns. The Lulo mine in Angola produced 3 180 carats in August, the highest monthly result since production commenced in 2015. Lucapa has a 40 % interest in the mine and is also the operator. A significant factor contributing to this record was the monthly grade of 13 carats per 100 cubic metres (cphm 3 ), which is almost twice the planned grade of 6,7 cphm 3 . Lulo is the world’s highest average US$

per carat alluvial project and has produced more than 13 plus-100 carat diamonds since operations began, including Angola’s two largest recorded diamonds of 404 carats and 227 carats. Significantly, these high grades were achieved from two of the flood plain blocks being delineated at Lulo, including new Mining Block 19 situated between the prolific Mining Blocks 8 and 6. These new mining areas have no noticeable prior arti- sanal activity, and the results give Lucapa and its partners further confidence that the extensive flood plain areas along the approximately 50 km stretch of the Cacuilo River still to be explored have the potential to increase diamond resources and mine life. Lucapa’s new high-value Mothae kimberlite mine in Lesotho, which com- menced commercial production in January

Lucapa’s Lulo project in Angola showing the plant area (photo: Lucapa).

September 2019  MODERN MINING  7