Work is underway to reconstruct what is believed to be a 14-carat diamond unearthed in the Kahuna kimberlite dyke on the Churchill Diamond Project in Nunavut.
A 5.43-carat diamond taken from a 400-tonne bulk sample earlier this year is believed to be a broken fragment from a larger stone. Eight complementary broken diamonds were taken from the same sample.
“The discovery of these large diamond fragments proves the potential for the Kahuna kimberlite dyke to host larger diamonds,” said Shear president and CEO Pamela Strand. “We continue to be encouraged by the results of the Kahuna bulk sample. The presence of coarser diamonds will be an important driver of overall diamond value.”
The Churchill Diamond Project is co-owned by Shear and Stornoway Diamond Corp.
The 5.43-carat diamond appears to be a white ‘clivage’ stone broken on all sides along pre-existing fracture planes. The reconstruction work will also assess potential breakage clauses.
