Construction of the AK6 diamond mine in Botswana has been given the green light, says Lucara Diamond Corp.
The Vancouver-based company, which is part owner in the project with African Diamonds Plc, says preparations are being made to ensure critical path activities are in place to achieve ramp-up to full production by the first quarter of 2012. These include placing orders for equipment like an autogenous mill and crushers, awarding contracts for earthworks, as well as tendering for the construction of power lines to the site.
“We are very pleased the decision to proceed with the full development and construction of a mine on the AK6 diamond project has been made,” said Lucara president and chief executive officer (CEO) William Lamb. “Even more encouraging is the critical path activities are already well advanced, helping to ensure our commissioning schedule is met. In less than one-and-a-half years, we anticipate Lucara to become one of the very limited number of producing hard rock diamond miners in the world. This, coupled with the increasing demand for high-quality diamonds, puts Lucara in a strong position for future growth.”
