OROPA MINING & PROJECTS (PVT) LIMITED

Explorations and Mining Company

2012/065980/07

CONTACT PERSON: DUMISANI MTHOMBENI

011 873 6448 OR 061 029 4353 OR 082 931 9278
dumi@702mail.co.za

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This is a copy of Moropa Project, Distribution without authority is prohibited

OROPA MINING & PROJECTS (PVT) LIMITED

Explorations and Mining Company
2012/065980/07

We would like our opencast pit to look just like this one.

PRODUCER OF

DIAMOND

LOCATION

BARKLY WEST (KIMBERLY, SOUTH AFRICA)

OWNERSHIP

100% OWNED BY MOROPA MINING

TYPE OF MINING

OPEN CAST AND UNDERGROUND MINING LATER

GEOLOGY TYPE

ALLUVIUM AND KIMBERLITE PIPES

MINERAL TYPE

DIAMONDS

RESERVE BASE

NOT YET CALCULATED

PRODUCTION RATE

+-3CARATS PER 100 TONS

LAND SIZE

13.5ha

Kimberley is the capital of the Northern Cape Province of South

Africa. It is located approximately 110 km east of the confluence of the
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Vaal and Orange Rivers. The city has considerable historical

significance due its diamond mining past and the siege during the
Second Boer War. Notable personalities such as Cecil Rhodes and
Barney Barnato made their fortunes here, and the roots of the De
Beers company can also be traced to the early days of the mining
town.mond Fields. Sir Henry Barkly laid the foundation stone in
February
Barkly West (Afrikaans: Barkly-Wes) is a town in the Northern Cape
province of South Africa, situated on the north bank of the Vaal River
west of Kimberley. 30km [20m] north west of the town of Kimberly.
Barkly West was the site of the first major diamond rush, in 1870, on
the South African Diamond Fields, and was initially known as Klip Drift.
This Dutch name means "stony ford" and is a direct translation from a
much older !Kora or Korana name, Ka-aub (or !a |aub) - "stony (place
along a) river". Briefly the Klipdrift Diggers' Republic was declared (the
town assuming the name Parkerton after President Stafford Parker),
before colonial rule was extended here. It became, with Kimberley, one
of the main towns in the Crown Colony of Griqualand West and was
renamed Barkly West (see the article on New Rush). Like Barkly East,
the town is named after Sir Henry Barkly, Governor of Cape Colony
and High Commissioner for Southern Africa from 1870-1877. During
the Anglo-Boer War the town was occupied by Boer forces and
temporarily went by the name Nieuw Boshof. Canteen Koppie, a
national monument of historical value, occurs next to Barkly West on
the north bank of the Vaal River. Diamonds were discovered there in
1869 and it became the first alluvial diamond diggings in South Africa.
The digging continued, albeit on and off in the years leading up to
1948 when the site was proclaimed a national monument. The
sediments occur in a structurally controlled and glacially modified
depression within the andesitic lavas of the Archaean Ventersdorp
Supergroup. The fluvial gravels were deposited, and locally mixed with
the colluvium, in the downstream end of a palaeo-loop of the Vaal
River as a splay deposit where the channel abruptly widens as it exits
this narrow loop.
The gravel accumulation has been described as the 12 m to 16 m
terrace package linked to the Younger Gravels of the Vaal Basin and
correlated with the Pleistocene Rietputs Formation. There are two
gravel facies associations and one sand facies within the splay unit.
Colluvial facies are dominant particularly in the upper part and are
composed of large andesite fragments which are mostly sub-angular
and lacking obvious abrasion features suggesting that these are of
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local derivation. The gravel of the fluvial facies are crudely crossbedded and consist of small to medium sized exotic sub-rounded
pebbles that have been mixed with the local andesite boulders in the
toes of the scree deposits. These facies are more prominent in the
lower part of the succession. The red sand facies occurs as thin cover
particularly in the distal part of the gravel units and increases in
thickness in the lee of the gravel splay. The exotic clasts in the fluvial
gravel are derived from the palaeo-Vaal, erosion of nearby Dwyka
sediments which can still be found along the north bank of the loop,
and by reworking of higher level and older gravels, remnants of which
are still present on top of the hill at Canteen Koppie. The input of the
coarse andesite clasts is linked to scree slope deposits fed by
exfoliation of local bedrock from this hill. The upward coarsening trend
of this infill reflects the gradual abandonment of the loop by the
palaeo-Vaal and its inability to remove the coarse colluvium during
those latter stages of its occupation of this palaeo-loop. A climatic
change to more arid periods might have had some influence.
Canteen Koppie has also produced an abundance of Acheulian Stone
Age artefacts. These are present in both sedimentary facies suggesting
that this splay deposit is at least Late Pliocene to Lower and Middle
Pleistocene in age. Recent dating of the overlying sands indicates that
these are at least 125 000 years old. Finally an analysis of the mining
records suggests that this splay deposit might have produced between
10 000 carats and 15 000 carats of diamonds which would have
expressed the scree deposits would have acted as important traps for
the diamonds.

BARKLY - WEST HISTORICAL THROUGH DIAMONDS

As with many of the towns in the Northern Cape, Barkely west found
its humble beginning in the diamond industry. In fact this is where the
very first diamond was discovered in South Africa in 1869. Originally
established in Barkely west a tiny village until the diamond rush saw
hundreds of people of prospectors flocking to the town in search of
financial freedom. Located approximately thirty-five kilometers away
from Kimberly town. After the discovery of diamonds at Klipdrift on
the Vaal River in 1869, this was renamed Barkly West in 1873, having
become part of the Crown colony of Griqualand West. Renowned writer
Sarah Gertrude Millin grew up in the district. Her father opened and
operated a shop in Barkly West. One of the first towns to be affected
by the diamond or Alluvial Diamond Diggings:
Licensed prospectors still sift the sand and gravel of the Vaal River for
ever elusive diamonds.ush, the district's economy is driven by stock
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and irrigation farming. Alluvial diamond diggings from 1869 onwards

revealed many archeological sites along the Vaal River. This is one of
the most exceptional. A walking trail is on site.

The Vaal River and Diamond Mineralization

Canteen Koppie, a national monument of historical value, occurs next
to Barkly West on the north bank of the Vaal River. Diamonds were
discovered there in 1869 and it became the first alluvial diamond
diggings in South Africa. The digging continued, albeit on and off in the
years leading up to 1948 when the site was proclaimed a national
monument. The sediments occur in a structurally controlled and
glacially modified depression within the andesitic lavas of the Archaean
Ventersdorp Supergroup. The fluvial gravels were deposited, and
locally mixed with the colluvium, in the downstream end of a palaeoloop of the Vaal River as a splay deposit where the channel abruptly
widens as it exits this narrow loop.
The gravel accumulation has been described as the 12 m to 16 m
terrace package linked to the Younger Gravels of the Vaal Basin and
correlated with the Pleistocene Rietputs Formation. There are two
gravel facies associations and one sand facies within the splay unit.
Colluvial facies are dominant particularly in the upper part and are
composed of large andesite fragments which are mostly sub-angular
and lacking obvious abrasion features suggesting that these are of
local derivation. The gravel of the fluvial facies are crudely crossbedded and consist of small to medium sized exotic sub-rounded
pebbles that have been mixed with the local andesite boulders in the
toes of the scree deposits. These facies are more prominent in the
lower part of the succession. The red sand facies occurs as thin cover
particularly in the distal part of the gravel units and increases in
thickness in the lee of the gravel splay. The exotic clasts in the fluvial
gravel are derived from the palaeo-Vaal, erosion of nearby Dwyka
sediments which can still be found along the north bank of the loop,
and by reworking of higher level and older gravels, remnants of which
are still present on top of the hill at Canteen Koppie. The input of the
coarse andesite clasts is linked to scree slope deposits fed by
exfoliation of local bedrock from this hill. The upward coarsening trend
of this infill reflects the gradual abandonment of the loop by the
palaeo-Vaal and its inability to remove the coarse colluvium during
those latter stages of its occupation of this palaeo-loop. A climatic
change to more arid periods might have had some influence.

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Canteen Koppie has also produced an abundance of Acheulian Stone

Age artefacts. These are present in both sedimentary facies suggesting
that this splay deposit is at least Late Pliocene to Lower and Middle
Pleistocene in age. Recent dating of the overlying sands indicates that
these are at least 125 000 years old. Finally an analysis of the mining
records suggests that this splay deposit might have produced between
10 000 carats and 15 000 carats of diamonds which would have
expressed itself in the region of three to five carats per hundred
tonnes. The oversize clasts of the scree deposits would have acted as
important traps for the diamonds.

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This is some part of the area that we have worked on the licensed
area. The area is covered with Rooikoppies formation as a whole, the
latter deflated gravel zone consisting of boulders are pebbles of
various sizes within the red matrix. These Rooikoppie gravel were
mined extensively in the past using primitive methods, during the trial
mining period some different sizes of diamonds ranging from 0.5
carats to the biggest solid rock we found which was 29carets. The
Rooikoppie formation in river side area proved to be more potential for
it produced a grade of estimated between 2carats and 5carats per
hundred ton(cpht). This area is not yet mined and the average grade
was estimated looking at the work that was done and the little that
was produced .

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In these small pits quite a number of very small diamonds pieces were
produced during the trail mining. Looking at this area it real
assure us that this part of the licensed needs a very close
geological analysis for it has proved to be more potential. There
are certain secondary deposits of diamonds which are created by
erosion of top soil layer, from volcanic sites. Over time, these
diamond ores get deposited and embedded in the seabed and
riverbed. There are many such mining sites in the world. To
extract the diamonds, a sand breaker or artificial dam is created
which holds the water back. Then the sea or river bed is manually
or mechanically dug and the ores are sent to a refinery for
extraction.

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The Archaean basement gneisses are overlain by the karoo cover

which is confined to the south east of the licensed block.
Sediments are compose of mixed clastic sediments of sandstone
and pepple conglomerate of the Ecca Group, which sometimes
have limestone and sand stone beds.
Most of the area in the licenced block is under undulating Rooikoppie
with kopje and groups of small hills breaking the monopoly. The
eastern portion of the licensed block, is occupied by the karoo
sediments characterized by flat lying grounds while areas covered by
basalts give rise to a series of ridges and small hills. The whole
sequence of sediments is capped by basalts of the stormberg lava
group. Hence, the regions formed from past volcanic activities, are rich
in diamond depositions. These are the regions where some of the
biggest diamond mines exist.

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Thus diamond mining is hard work and one has to scan a lot of area
and dig deep, for any chances of success. The process uses huge
extraction machinery which has to be customized and built according
to the topography of the mining site. The diamond company De Beers
uses the tag line 'Diamond: a girl's best friend', but I would say finding
these friends for them and affording to buy them, is one hell of a
tough job for guys.
The area of a volcanic crater is generally very huge and therefore
diamond miners need to cover a lot of ground. Tonnes and tonnes of
dirt needs to be dug, before you can find a diamond ore! This is just
the same as in life, where one has to go through a lot of crap before
the good times come! The diamond rich rock is drilled till the ore is
found and then extracted. The ore is then sent to a separate refinery
where the rock is broken down carefully by precision tools and
unpolished diamond is extracted from it.

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This is a copy of Moropa Project, Distribution without authority is prohibited

Karoo dyke occur throughout the area and these crosscut both
the basement gneisses and karoo lithologies. These
orthogneisses are essential quartzofeldspathetic in
composition with local varieties rich in either biotite or
amphiboles. The homogenous and weakly foliated
sis and
As the once molten planet earth cooled down and formed a crust,

volcanic activity and magma pushed these diamonds to the

surface, through volcanic outbursts. In time, these tunnels of
magma flow, solidified to form rocks enriched with diamonds.
Hardened volcanic pipes got formed which encased millions of
diamonds. The diamonds that made it to the surface, got
distributed over ocean floors and riverbeds through soil erosion.
Diamonds are found in huge amounts, inside extinct volcanoes
and there are chances of finding them in the live ones also but
that obviously is a difficult task.

The red sand facies occurs as thin cover particularly in the distal part
of the gravel units and increases in thickness in the lee of the gravel
splay. The exotic clasts in the fluvial gravel are derived from the
palaeo-Vaal, erosion of nearby Dyke sediments which can still be found

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along the north bank of the loop, and by reworking of higher level and
older gravels, remnants of which are still present on top of the hill at
Canteen Koppie. The input of the coarse and site clasts is linked to
scree slope deposits fed by exfoliation of local bedrock from this hill.
The upward coarsening trend of this infill reflects the gradual
abandonment of the loop by the palaeo-Vaal and its inability to remove
the coarse colluvium during those latter stages of its occupation of this
palaeo-loop. A climatic change to more arid periods might have had
some influence.

Diamonds are formed under tremendous heat and pressure. These

conditions exist 150 km to 200 km beneath the earth's surface, where
the temperatures are extremely high ranging from 900C to 1300C.
For millions of years, carbon atoms deep in the earth's upper mantle
have been exposed to these extreme conditions. As a result, these
atoms combine their cubic molecular form and ultimately form
diamond crystals. During volcanic eruptions, diamond crystals
eventually make their way to the earth's surface through pipes and
channels. These pipes or channels contain the magma from the
volcano, which rises along with the diamonds and deposits them on
the surface where they are later found and mined. These are known as
the primary deposits of diamond. Kimberlite is a blue rock and the
most common host of diamonds found in the earliest volcanic pipes.
Some diamonds get washed away either by erosion or by nearby water
bodies, and are thus found near river beds. They are known as alluvial
deposits. Millions of years of erosion spread diamonds into streams,
rivers and the seas. Many centuries ago, diamonds were first
recognized and mined in India along the rivers Penner, Krishna and
Godavari. Natural diamond sources have been discovered in 35
countries all across the world. Russia, Botswana and South Africa are
the major gem quality diamond producers in the world. Australia is one
of the world's biggest industrial diamond producer.
Dazzling diamonds have always fascinated women and are considered
to be their best friend. They are the best way to express your love for
someone special. So, the next time when you venture into a jewelry
store and admire an incredible diamond ring, just think about the time,
energy and resources that have gone into its making and you'll surely
have a better appreciation for it.

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Diamond Mining
Diamond mining is a process of extracting diamond ore from various
locations. These locations which are considered diamond rich, are
determined by geologists who have an understanding of the genesis of
diamonds. By genesis, we mean the knowledge of how diamonds are
created. Diamonds are transparent gems or crystals made up of
Carbon. One interesting fact about a diamond is, that it is the toughest
object found on earth. The creation of diamond requires such a high
temperature and pressure, that it can be forged only deep inside the
fiery belly of the earth, say about 93 miles, below the surface. All
natural diamonds are formed and get crystallized inside the core of the
earth, over millions of years. Roughly 50% of diamonds come from
Africa, although some sources of diamonds have been discovered in
India, Russia, Canada and Australia. The diamonds that made it to the
surface were forced up volcanic activity, through kimberlite pipes. A
typical pipe mine consists of a large vertical shaft and tunnels running
from the main pipe. The deepest mine runs about 160 kilometers,
down into the earth with hundreds of tons of rock, gravel and sand
that need to be blasted, drilled, crushed and processed to yield just
27,000 kg mined annually. Only about 20% of all rough diamonds are
suitable for polishing and the rest are used for industrial purposes.
Once the rough is found, it is sold to the manufacturers.
As the once molten planet earth cooled down and formed a crust,
volcanic activity and magma pushed these diamonds to the surface,
through volcanic outbursts. In time, these tunnels of magma flow,
solidified to form rocks enriched with diamonds. Hardened volcanic
pipes got formed which encased millions of diamonds. The diamonds
that made it to the surface, got distributed over ocean floors and
riverbeds through soil erosion. Diamonds are found in huge amounts,
inside extinct volcanoes and there are chances of finding them in the
live ones also but that obviously is a difficult task.
Diamond Mining Process
Mining processes vary according to the nature and the structure of the
diamond ore and also the position from where the particular gem has
to be extracted. It may be in a secondary deposit like a riverbed or
buried deep in a solidified volcanic pipe. Depending on these factors,
there are two main processes which are called 'Pipe Mining' and
'Alluvial Mining'. Let us see each one of these processes in detail.

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Pipe Mining
As the name suggests, pipe mining is extracting diamond ores from
solidified volcanic pipes. This solidified magma, that is the bluish
igneous rock, is called 'Kimberlite'. These Kimberlite pipes occur under
the mouths of dead volcanic craters. Kimberlite is just one type of
volcanic igneous rock that bears diamonds. There are many more and
they occur with varying chemical combinations.
Usually these dead volcanic craters fill up with water and form lakes.
So mining these igneous rocks can be an underwater endeavor. The
area of a volcanic crater is generally very huge and therefore diamond
miners need to cover a lot of ground. Tonnes and tonnes of dirt needs
to be dug, before you can find a diamond ore! This is just the same as
in life, where one has to go through a lot of crap before the good times
come! The diamond rich rock is drilled till the ore is found and then
extracted. The ore is then sent to a separate refinery where the rock is
broken down carefully by precision tools and unpolished diamond is
extracted from it.
Alluvial Mining
There are certain secondary deposits of diamonds which are created
by erosion of top soil layer, from volcanic sites. Over time, these
diamond ores get deposited and embedded in the seabed and
riverbed. There are many such mining sites in the world. To extract the
diamonds, a sand breaker or artificial dam is created which holds the
water back. Then the sea or river bed is manually or mechanically dug
and the ores are sent to a refinery for extraction.

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DIAMOND PROCESSING AND SORTING

HARRY OPPENHEIMER HOUSE
DE BEERS HEAD OFFICE stockdale street
Original the headquarters of Banrney Barnatos Kimberly central
Diamond Mining Company, this is now the international
headquarters of de Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd which was
established in 1888 by Cecil John Rhodes.
Diamonds from all over South Africa are sorted daily inside this
building. Since diamonds are best sorted by gentle natural light,
the building has windows only on the south side to prevent direct
sunlight from entering. The building is not open to the public.
After diamond ore is mined it is transported to a processing plant
where it is first fed into huge crushing machines. In the old days
diamonds were recovered on vibrating greased tables. After the
diamond ore was crushed it was mixed with water and slid down
the table. Because of their surface properties, rough diamonds
adhere tenaciously to the grease while other materials vibrate on
through. Now the crushed rock is moved on a conveyor belt
through a darkened chamber and X-rayed. Photo sensor detect
the diamond's fluorescence and air jets remove it. Workers then
sort the gem quality stones from the industrial diamonds by
hand. Gem quality stones are sorted further in the large sorting
room at the De Beers headquarters in London. On observing the
sorting of five weeks of the worlds production of gem diamonds
between two and nine carats in this sorting room, Fred Ward
wrote in National Geographic, "I was dazzled with the brilliance
of tens of thousands of uncut diamonds. On the counter running
the length of the building, keen-eyed workers faced north
windows for the indirect, even-color light needed to sort piles of
roughs. Eight central tables were laden with sparkling crystals.
A DeBeers official told Ward, There are about 180,000 carats on
those tables, worth about 70 million dollars. When we have all
the stone together for next month's 'sight' or sale, including very
small stones and stones over 100 carats, they will bring 250
million.

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DIAMOND CUTTING AND POLISHING

Diamond cutters are called lapidarists. Their goal is to get as large and
as beautiful a gem as possible from a rough stone without losing too
much material. To achieve this goal they essentially use the same
techniques they have for the last 600 years. Lapidarist are very
careful. They may study a diamond for months before working on it.
Student diamond cutter who make two major mistakes fail to get
certified. Diamonds can be cut several ways: 1) cleaving, in which the
diamond is split with a chisel, is relatively rare these days; 2) sawing
with a circular copper blade embedded with diamond dust particles; 3)
grinding by pressing the diamond against a covered diamond-dustcovered steel wheel (called a skive) that spins at 3,000 rpms.
Even though diamonds are quite hard they are relatively easy to cut
along cleavage lines in their crystalline structure. The only thing that
will cut a diamond is another diamond. The advantage of sawing over
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grinding is that sawing leaves behind saleable pieces of diamonds

while grinding produces only dust. grounded stones never touch the
wheel. They are pressed close but kept away slightly with a layer of
oil. Diamond will shatter so great pains are taken to make sure this
doesn't happen. They Lapidarists are especially wary of inclusions
(black spots) which cause a diamond to crack.
Most diamonds give a yield of 40 to 45 percent from rough to polished
stone using current methods. Sometimes as much as 70 percent of a
diamond is lost during the cutting and polishing process, but the price
can jump six fold. The 1977 price for colorless 2 carat rough was
US$750. A flawless one carat stone can fetch as much as US$20,000.
Diamonds are examined mainly by the 'four Cs': carat, clarity, color,
and cut. Diamonds are measured in carat; one carat equals 1/5th of a
gram. It is believed that diamonds are colorless but they come in
different colors like white, yellow, brown, pink, red, blue, purple,
green, violet and orange. Out of these, white, yellow and brown are
most commonly used. A diamond's color can be determined by
studying its face up and down. Clarity of the diamonds determine how
pure they are. Diamonds having less blemishes and inclusions have
better clarity. Cuts in diamonds enhance their color, shine and hide
inclusions. If the cuts are too deep or shallow, the diamond will not
have a good dispersion. Pear, emerald, marquise, and brilliant are the
most popular diamond cuts.

Diamond cutting process

The diamond cutting process includes these steps; planning, cleaving
or sawing, bruting, polishing, and final inspection.
Planning
Diamond manufacturers analyze diamond rough from an economic
perspective, with two objectives steering decisions made about how a
faceted diamond will be cut. The first objective is that of maximum
return on investment for the piece of diamond rough. The second is
how quickly the finished diamond can be sold. Scanning devices are
used to get 3-dimensional computer model of the rough stone. Also,
inclusions are photographed and placed on the 3D model, which is
then used to find an optimal way to cut the stone.
Maximizing value

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The process of maximizing the value of finished diamonds, from a

rough diamond into a polished gemstone, is both an art and a science.
The choice of cut is influenced by many factors. Market factors include
the exponential increase in value of diamonds as weight increases,
referred to as weight retention, and the popularity of certain shapes
amongst consumers. Physical factors include the original shape of the
rough stone, and location of the inclusions and flaws to be eliminated.
Weight retention
The weight retention analysis studies the diamond rough to find the
best combination of finished stones as it relates to per carat value. For
instance, a 2.20 carat (440 mg) octahedron may produce (i) either two
half carat (100 mg) diamonds whose combined value may be higher
than that of (ii) a 0.80 carat (160 mg) diamond + 0.30 carat (60 mg)
diamond that could be cut from the same rough diamond.
The round brilliant cut and square brilliant cuts are preferred when the
crystal is an octahedron, as often two stones may be cut from one
such crystal. Oddly shaped crystals, such as macles are more likely to
be cut in a fancy cutthat is, a cut other than the round brilliant
which the particular crystal shape lends itself to.
Even with modern techniques, the cutting and polishing of a diamond
crystal always results in a dramatic loss of weight, about 50%
Sometimes the cutters compromise and accept lesser proportions and
symmetry in order to avoid inclusions or to preserve the weight. Since
the per-carat price of a diamond shifts around key milestones (such as
1.00 carat), many one-carat (200 mg) diamonds are the result of
compromising Cut quality for Carat weight. Some jewelry experts
advise consumers to buy a 0.99 carat (198 mg) diamond for its better
price or buy a 1.10 carat (220 mg) diamond for its better cut, avoiding
a 1.00 carat (200 mg) diamond, which is more likely to be a poorly cut
stone.

Color retention
The 253-carat Oppenheimer Diamondan uncut diamond does not
show its prized optical properties.

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In colored diamonds, cutting can influence the color grade of the

diamond, thereby raising its value. Certain cut shapes are used to
intensify the color of the diamond. The radiant cut is an example of
this type of cut.
Natural green color diamonds most often have merely a surface
coloration caused by natural irradiation, which does not extend
through the stone. For this reason green diamonds are cut with
significant portions of the original rough diamond's surface (naturals)
left on the finished gem. It is these naturals that provide the color to
the diamond.
Turn around minimization
The other consideration of diamond planning is how quickly a diamond
will sell. This consideration is often unique to the type of manufacturer.
While a certain cutting plan may yield a better value, a different plan
may yield diamonds that will sell sooner, and thereby returning the
investment sooner.
Cleaving or sawing
Cleaving is the separation of a piece of diamond rough into separate
pieces, to be finished as separate gems.
Sawing is the use of a diamond saw or laser to cut the diamond rough
into separate pieces.
Bruting
Bruting is the process whereby two diamonds are set onto spinning
axles turning in opposite directions, which are then set to grind against
each other to shape each diamond into a round shape. This can also
be known as girdling.

Polishing
Polishing is the name given to process whereby the facets are cut onto
the diamond and final polishing is performed. The process takes the
steps blocking, faceting, also called "brillianteering", and polishing.

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Final inspection
The final stage involves thoroughly cleaning the diamond in acids, and
examining the diamond to see whether it meets the quality standards
of the manufacturer.
Cutting process
It is possible only because the hardness of diamond varies widely
according to the direction in which one is trying to cut or grind.
A simplified round brilliant cut process includes the following stages:

Sawing the rough stone.

Table setting where one facet is created. The table facet is then
used to attach the stone into a dop (a lapidary tool holding
gemstones for cutting or polishing).
Bruting the girdle.
Blocking four main pavilion facets.
Transferring to another dop in order to rotate the stone.
Blocking four main crown facets.
Cutting and polishing all pavilion facets.
Transferring to another dop.
Cutting and polishing all crown facets.

This is just one, although a fairly common way of creating a round

brilliant cut. The actual process also includes many more stages
depending on the size and quality of the rough stone. For
example, bigger stones are first scanned to get the threedimensional shape, which is then used to find the optimal usage.
The scanning may be repeated after each stage and bruting may
be done in several steps, each bringing the girdle close

Diamond Mining Equipment

Heavy mining machinery is required in mining for exploration and
development, to remove and stockpile overburden, to break and

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remove rocks of various rigidity and hardiness, to process the ore and
for reclamation efforts after the mine is closed. Bulldozers, drills,
explosives and trucks are all necessary for dig the land. In the case of
placer removal, unconsolidated gravel, or alluvium, is fed into
equipment consisting of a hopper and a shaking screen or trammel
which frees the desired raw materials from the waste gravel. The raw
materials are then intense using sluices or jigs. Large drills are used to
sink shafts, dig stops and obtain samples for analysis. Trams are used
to transport miners, raw materials and waste. Lifts carry miners into
and out of mines, as well as touching rock and ore out, and equipment
in and out of dissident mines. Zenith has been a world famous
diamond mining machinery supplier. We provide various types of
diamond extraction plant for sale including quarry machine, crushing
plant, grinding mill, screening machine, conveying system, separation
machine, processing plant etc. Their diamond processing plant has
been exported to many countries such as South Africa, India, Congo,
Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Indonesia, Brazil etc.

Mining Process
Open Pit Mining: Open-Pit diamond mining or Open-Cast Mining is
a technique of extracting rock or minerals from the ground by taking
away from an open pit or hole. Open pit mines are utilized when
deposits of minerals are established near the surface or along
kimberlitic pipes. Our operations employ conventional open-pit mining
techniques using primarily truck and shovel methods. First the topsoil
is removed, stockpiled and protected from erosion with a grass
mixture. Overburden is removed after the topsoil. Often this rocky
material must be drilled and blasted with explosives and loaded onto
dump trucks by shovels and loaders/excavators and hauled to waste
dumps outside of the active pit for stockpiling.

The diamonds are

removed, sorted and washed before being transported to the storage

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then to the bank. Open-pit mines are normally developed from top to
bottom in a series of horizontal cuts known as benches.
The Mining Plans will detail how the company plans to mine and later
reclaim the site. The plans will describes how soils and overburden
will be removed, stockpiled and replaced after the diamond is mined.
The types of vegetative covers to be used on stockpiles and after
reclamation will be identified. Post-mining land uses will be
explained in the reclamation plan. The company will also
give a timetable for completion of each step and an
estimated cost for reclamation.
Diamonds and supplementary valuable and semi-precious
gemstones are excavated from the earth level via 4 main types on
mining. These diamond withdrawal methods vary depending on how
the minerals are situated within the earth, the steadiness of the
material neighboring the preferred mineral, and the nonessential
damage done to the surrounding environment.

Hard Rock Mining: The name Hard Rock Diamond Mining refers to
a variety of techniques used to mine precious stones & gems,
minerals, and ore bodies by making tunnels underground and
generating subversive rooms or stopes held in position by timber
pillars of station rock. Access to the underground ore is achieved via a
decline or a shaft.
Placer Mining: Placer Diamond mining, also termed as sand bank
mining is utilized for hauling diamonds and minerals from alluvial
derived deposits. Placer Mining is a variety of open-pit or open-cast
mining utilized to haul out minerals from the surface of the earth
devoid of the usage of tunneling.
Marine Mining: Marine mining method only became commercially
feasible in the early 1990s. Marine diamond mining uses both
vertical and horizontal methods to take out diamonds from offshore
placer deposits. Vertical marine mining possesses a 6 to 7 meter
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diameter drill skull to slash into the seabed and suck up the diamond
demeanor material from the sea bed.

CAPITAL REQUIRED IS R 40 000 000.00

DISCOVERY AND ADVANCED EXPLORATION =R 10 000 000.00

Discovery has been made and advanced exploration has to take

place for something of value has been actually found. At this
stage, higher impact activities such as further ground geophysics,
channel sampling, trenching and diamond drilling, generally has
to take place. If the proposed work and activities are going to be
above the threshold limits, land use permits and water licences
are already available.
DEVELOPMENT/EQUIPMENTS /CONSTRUCTION
= R20 000 000.00

Development/construction is next if, based on economics (is an

area or deposit worth mining), and if shareholders approve, a
company decides to go ahead with the project. During this stage
the company raises money in order to begin construction and
develop a mine. This is the most expensive phase of the mining
cycle. The manner in which a mineral or metal occurs in the earths
crust determines the type of mining operation required to extract it
and the costs to develop a mine, as well as the amount of waste
produced in the extraction process.

Evaluation and appraisal: This determined the technical

feasibility and commercial viability of mineral deposits found
during exploration and the designation of proven and probable
reserves. It is at this stage, that decisions were made as to
develop a particular area at the site.
Development: Currently, Pre-production activities are being
undertaken to prepare to mine to a depth where there are
mineral reserves. Typically this will include opening up a pit,
permanent excavations, building perimeter fencing and other

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infrastructure and initial removal of overburden. This will require

plant and machinery.
Construction: This will be establishing and commissioning
facilities, (e.g., buildings (the store room for explosives),
machinery and equipment) to extract the gemstones. Some
construction may occur during the development stage.

OPERATION AND PRODUCTION =R 10 000 000.00

Operation and production is the actual mining, milling, and

processing of the diamonds. The length of time a mine is in
production (the mine life) depends on the amount (reserves) and
quality (grade) of the mineral, metal or gems and whether the
operation is still profitable. It is at this stage that companies start
to see a return on their investment (make some money). But
they still have expenses (operating costs) such as wages, fuel,
transportation, equipment and maintenance in order to keep the
mine running.
RECLAMATION

Reclamation of a site and protection of the environment starts at

the beginning of the project. All existing and new mines in
the South Africa must have closure and reclamation plans and
are required to set aside in a trust, the total estimated
reclamation costs. The goal is to protect the environment right
from the beginning, to make sure the site is as productive as
possible and safe for people and animals when the mine closes.
Reclamation begins with rough grading of the mined overburden back
into the pit. When this first phase of reclamation is completed,
restoration of the land to its approximate original contour follows. To
ensure the soil will support vegetative growth, the company will use
equipment that will minimize soil compaction. The plan will also
specify a particular crop followed by a grass-legume mix that helps
restore soil structure and bacteria needed for good plant growth. The
company will create a fund to cover such future costs and
environmental obligations, in the event of closing the mine and retiring
the plant that was being used. After exhausting the reserves, the pit
will be covered (filled) with waste rock and the top 3m will be covered

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with soil. Indigenous trees and grass will have to be planted. The
vegetation will be monitored for two years to ensure growth.

EQUIPMENT, TOOLS AND OPERATORS

2 x Land Excavators 30 tones

R 7 400 000.00 (R 3 700 000.00)

3 x Dump trucks

R 1 060 000.00 (R 530 000.00)

1 x Front Loader

R 450 000.00

2 x Crushers

R 3 600 000.00 (R 1 800 000.00)

1 x 4 x4 Van

R 330 000.00

2 x 265cfx Compressors

R 350 000.00 (R 175 000.00)

Other equipments & tools

R 3 000 000.00

Total required equipments and tools is

R 16 190 000.00

Required Operators and Their Salaries

1 x Project manager

R 560.00 per hour

1 x mine manager

R 160 per hour

3 x Land Excavators Operators

R 75 per hour (R 225.00)

3 x Dump Trucks

R 67 per hour (R 201.00)

1 x Front loader

R 67 per hour

2 x Crusher operators

R 52 per hour (R 104.00)

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1 x Van Driver

R 52 per hour

12 x General workers

R 30 per hour (R 360.00)

Salaries per months

1 x Project manager

R 89 600.00(R 89 600.00)

1 X Mine manager

R 25 600.00 (R 25 600.00)

3 x Land Excavators Operators

R 12 000.00(R 36 000.00)

3 x Dump Trucks Operators

R 10 720.00(R 32

160.00)
1 x Front Loader Operator

R 10 720.00(R 10 720.00)

2 x Crushers Operators

R 8 320.00(R 16 640.00)

1 x Van Driver

R 8 320.00 (R 8 320.00)

12 x General workers

R 4 800.00(R 57 600.00)

Total monthly salaries

R 276 640.00

Fuel consumption Diesel

Fuel type

Diesel @ R15 per liter

Land excavator

120 litres in 8 hours or per day

120 litres x R15 per litre =R 1 800.00 per day = R 9 000.00 per week
=R 36 000.00 per month per 1 excavator

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Diesel for excavator =2400 litres per excavator per month

=R 36 000.00.
2 Excavators will consume 4 800 litres of diesel per month which will
be equal to R 72 000.00
Dump trucks

80 litres in 8 hours or per day

80 litres x R15.00 per litre R 1 200.00 per day =R 6 000.00 per week
=R 24 000.00 per month
3 dump trucks will consume 240litres per day, 1 200 litres per week
= 4 800 litres per month.
3 Dump trucks will consume 4 800 litres of diesel per month which will
be equal to R 72 000.00
Compressors 265 cfx

80 litres in 8 hours or per day

80 litres x R15.00 per litre = R 1 200.00 per day =R 6 000.00 per

week
=R 24 000.00 per month
2 compressors will consume 160 litres per day, 800 litres per week
= 3 200 litres per month x R15.00 = R 48 000.00

Mine vehicle

60 litres in 8 hours or per day

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60 litres x R15.00 per litre = R 900.00 per day, R 4 500.00 per week
=R 18 000.00
Explosive consumptions
To drill at least 180 to 350 holes every night and blast them using a
power code of 200m.
=R 175 000.00 per month
Safety clothing
Work suits 50@ R 160.00
Safety shoes 25@ R 650.00
Gumboots 25@ R 220.00
Helmets 25@ R120.00
Mine lights 25@ R520.00
Rain suits 25@R250.00
Reflectors 25@R 60.00
Gloves 25@R75.00

R 8 000.00
R 16 250.00
R 5 500.00
R 3 000.00
R 13 000.00
R 6 000.00
R 1 500.00
R 1 875.00

Total safety clothing will be

R 55 125.00

Estimated Monthly Production volume

Production Ratio 100 tons = 2 carats
240 000 tons per month of mined ore at a rate of 12 000 tons per day
240 000 /100 = 2400 x 2 carats = 4800 x $ 500.00 Price of rough
diamonds
$us2 400 000.00 x R9.50 = R 22 800 000.00

This is a copy of Moropa Project, Distribution without authority is prohibited

This is a copy of Moropa Project, Distribution without authority is prohibited