IDMA Meeting Concludes
April 11, 11According to Botswana's Minister of Minerals Energy and Water Resources Dr. P.H.K. Kedikilwe, "The issues raised at the Pitso (the forum that discussed Botswana’s benefaction) were very interesting and many of them touched on the very core of our aspirations for the development of a diamond center in Botswana.”
IDMA President Moti Ganz said one of the reasons that the meetings were held in Botswana was need in recognition of the need for the creation of a sustainable diamond value chain in the country.
After the meetings concluded, a group of some 40 participants made the 160-kilometer trip from Gaborone to Jwaneng, located in south-central Botswana.
In a briefing by Section Geologist Martin Roberts, the group heard that about the planned extension of the open pit mining operation. "We're already preparing for the next stage of the mine's expansion which is named 'Cut 8' as this is the eighth stage of the mine's open pit mining operations, Roberts said.
He explained that it will take years of preparations, including the removal of many millions of tons of overburden to allow the mining of additional kimberlite in the future and to extend the mine's life to around 2025. Cut 9 will then extend the mine's open pit production into the mid-2030s before a decision is taken to go underground.