Stellar Reports High Grades, Exceptional Stones From Tongo Project

(IDEX Online News) – Stellar Diamonds plc, a diamond development company focused on West Africa, reports that bulk sampling at its 1.1 million carat resource Tongo kimberlite dyke project in Sierra Leone is continuing to yield high grades and exceptional quality diamonds.

The firm said outstanding gem quality diamonds continue to be recovered with stones up to 6.7 carats in size.

Processing to date has yielded 551.6 carats at an average grade of 126.3 cpht (carats per hundred tones).

The grade is anticipated to increase as further diamonds are recovered from re-processing.

The firm's objective is to recover a minimum 1,000-carat parcel for diamond grade and value confirmation.

Previous results established a grade of 120 cpht at a modeled value of $248 per carat.

Stellar Diamonds CEO Karl Smithson commented, “The results from the on-going bulk sampling program are excellent and continue to underscore the high grade nature of the Tongo Dyke-1 kimberlite. The presence of larger gem stones up to 6.7 carats in size bodes well for the diamond valuation, which will be undertaken as part of the definitive feasibility study that is on track for delivery towards the end of 2014.

"Our bulk sampling program will continue with the objective of recovering a parcel of at least 1,000 carats for diamond grade and value modeling on the current 1.1 million carat JORC compliant resource, calculated on one of four diamondiferous dykes on the project.”