Higher Grades Boost Mountain Province

RAPAPORT... Production at the Gahcho Ku?(C) mine increased 20% year on year to1.9 million carats in the second quarter, as the asset yielded higher-graderecovery. "The second-quarter performance continues to follow thetrend of ongoing excellent performance set by the Gahcho Ku?(C) mine team, in asafe and sustainable manner," Stuart Brown, CEO of Mountain Province, whichowns the mine in a joint venture with De Beers, said last week. "We expect thistrend to continue as we enter the second half of the year." The plant treated 899,000 tonnes of ore during the 12 weeks ending June 30, a 17% rise over thesame period last year, the miner said. The grade recovered increased 2% to 2.15 carats per tonne. Mountain Province's share of production was 946,000 caratsfrom its 49% ownership of the Gahcho Ku?(C) project. De Beers holds the remaining51%. The company expects to achieve the upper end of its full-yearproduction estimate of 6.3 million to 6.6 million carats.