Some good news from Lesotho: Firestone Diamonds, owner of the Liqhobong Diamond Mine in Lesotho, has announced that the mine is “100% complete”, and has scheduled the first sale of diamonds for 6-10 February in Antwerp.
The report, which summarizes performance for the quarter ended December 31, 2016, says that first diamond recoveries commenced in late October 2016, including “over 20 special stones larger than 10.8 carats, with the largest being a 37 carat white diamond, as well as several fancy yellow diamonds”. Additionally, at the end of December 2016, 95% of the capital budget had been spent on the project with the remaining$8 million to be spent in Q1 2017.
CEO Stuart Brown commented: “Construction activities at Liqhobong were completed early in the quarter and we are currently in the commissioning and ramp up stage of the Project. We have been pleased with the tonnes processed by the plant, which has already seen nameplate production reached on multiple occasions at this early stage of ramp up”.
