Angolan mining company Lucapa has posted their Q1 reports for this year with many positive highlights. At its Lulo operation, there has been a new record set in volumes mined, with an 11% increase in tonnage, resulting in over 591,00 tons processed, up from 533,000 tons processed at the same time last year. The mine also reported the recovery of a 150 carat Type IIa diamond and several fancy-colored stones - three diamonds, including two +100 carat diamonds, which will be held back from normal sale for a planned tender. The Lulo JORC classified inferred alluvial diamond resource increased to 154,000 carats.
Lucapa’s Mothae mine operation also reported record volumes processed in March following changes implemented to plant flowsheet resulting in a record total volumes mined year-over-year.
The company has also reported some positive results in their kimberlite exploration, with the Lulo mine posting its best results to date. So far, a total of 64 diamonds, including two Specials (diamonds weighing >10.8 carats), have been recovered from all kimberlite L164 bulk samples.
The company also experienced a 22% increase in rough diamond sales year over year selling off 13,477 carats during Q1/2023. Managing Director, Stephen Wetherall, commented “The mining and exploration programs performed exceptionally well with more records being achieved in the first quarter of 2023.”
Source: Lucapa
Photo courtesy of: Lucapa