Mountain Province Diamonds Reports Preliminary Results from the Tuzo Large Diameter Bulk Sampling Program
06 Août 2008 - 7:49PM
PR Newswire (US)
- 25.13 carat gem quality diamond recovered - Total 18,893 diamonds
recovered from 715.6 tonnes - Average grade 2.16 carats per tonne*
TORONTO and NEW YORK, Aug. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mountain
Province Diamonds Inc. ("the Company) (TSX: MPV, AMEX: MDM) today
announced preliminary results from the Tuzo large-diameter bulk
sampling program conducted last winter. As previously announced, a
25.13 carat gem quality diamond of excellent shape and clarity and
good colour was recovered during this program. This diamond has
been independently valued at $17,500 per carat, putting the diamond
value at approximately $440,000. The Tuzo bulk sampling program was
designed to recover approximately 1,500 carats. Combined with the
approximately 600 carats recovered from Tuzo during prior years'
exploration, this should be sufficient to develop a diamond revenue
model for the Tuzo kimberlite pipe. Once all the results are
available, the Tuzo diamonds will be valued by the Gahcho Kue
project operator, De Beers Canada. Mountain Province Diamonds has
retained WWW International Diamond Consultants to conduct an
independent valuation of all the Gahcho Kue diamonds, including the
recently recovered Tuzo diamonds. Following completion of the Tuzo
diamond revenue model, it is anticipated that the Tuzo resource
will be upgraded to the "indicated mineral resource" category. "We
are very pleased with the results of the Tuzo bulk sampling
program. Our target of 1,500 carats has been exceeded and we
believe the 25.13 carat diamond is the largest gem quality diamond
ever recovered from a Canadian diamond exploration drill program",
said Patrick Evans, President and CEO of Mountain Province
Diamonds. To extract the Tuzo bulk sample, two 24-inch
large-diameter drill rigs were used. A total of nine holes were
drilled, with seven holes to depths between approximately 100 and
130 meters and two holes to depths of approximately 300 meters. The
preliminary results listed in Table 1 below are for eight of the
nine holes drilled. The results for hole MPV-08-319L, which was one
of the deep holes drilled, are still pending. A total of 18,893
diamonds have so far been recovered from 715.6 tonnes of
kimberlite. Table 1 2008 Tuzo Large Diameter Drilling Data
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KIMBERLITE DRILL DEPTH KIMBERLITE CARATS DIAMOND GRADE* PIPE HOLE
(from - to) MASS +1.5mm COUNT (carats (metres) (tonnes) +1.5mm per
tonne)
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Tuzo MPV-08- 17.0 - 133.6 81.8 261.2 3,344 3.20 315L
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Tuzo MPV-08- 16.5 - 122.5 72.2 248.9 3,654 3.45 316L
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Tuzo MPV-08- 17.0 - 126.5 74.6 268.8 2,806 3.61 317L
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Tuzo MPV-08- 11.0 - 103.3 67.2 84.6 1,157 1.26 318L
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Tuzo MPV-08- Pending Pending Pending Pending Pending 319L
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Tuzo MPV-08- 15.0 - 97.8 59.1 79.6 913 1.35 320L
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Tuzo MPV-08- 15.5 - 113.0 68.9 149.5 1,768 2.17 321L
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Tuzo MPV-08- 16.0 - 102.6 60.4 110.5 1,388 1.83 322L
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Tuzo MPV-08- 17.0 - 125.2 86.6 211.5 2,318 2.44 323L
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Tuzo MPV-08- 125.2 - 305 144.8 128.6 1,545 0.89 323L (Deep)
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SUMMARY 715.6 1,543.2 18,893 2.16
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* Grade presented for illustrative purposes only. Located in
Canada's Northwest Territories, Gahcho Kue is the largest new
diamond mine under development in the Western world. The project
consists of a cluster of three primary kimberlites with an
indicated resource of approximately 14.4 million tonnes grading at
1.64 carats per tonne (approximately 23.6 million carats) and an
inferred resource of approximately 17 million tonnes grading at
1.35 carats per tonne (approximately 22.9 million carats). Gahcho
Kue is currently undergoing permitting for the issuance of
construction and operating authorisation. Mountain Province
Diamonds (49 percent) is a joint venture partner with De Beers
Canada Inc. (51 percent) in the Gahcho Kue project. De Beers is the
operator of the project and can be called on to fund the project
through to commercial production. Qualified Person This news
release has been prepared under the supervision of Carl G. Verley,
P.Geo., who serves as the qualified person under National
Instrument 43-101. Forward-Looking Statements This news release may
contain forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the
"safe-harbor" provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995, regarding the Company's business or financial
condition. Actual results could differ materially from those
described in this news release as a result of numerous factors,
some of which are outside the control of the Company. DATASOURCE:
Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. CONTACT: Mountain Province Diamonds
Inc., Patrick Evans, President and CEO, Tel: (416) 670-5114
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