Lucapa Prepares to Sell Mothae Diamonds

RAPAPORT... Lucapa Diamond Company will begin producing diamonds at itsMothae mine on a commercial scale, paving the way for its first scheduled salelater this year. The miner has commissioned the Lesotho asset's treatmentplant, and expects to see its first commercial recoveries in early November, itsaid Monday. It plans to increase production to its intended levels during thefourth quarter. Lucapa has already exported about 2,500 carats of rough diamonds toAntwerp from its recent bulk sampling. It plans to ship the remainder of the 4,100carats to the Belgian city ahead of the first scheduled sale in the fourthquarter. Mothae's former owner, Lucara Diamond Corp., achieved saleprices of up to $57,000 per carat during trial mining between 2008 and 2012,Lucapa said. During that process, Lucara recovered approximately 23,400carats, including 96 individual stones over 10 carats and a 254-carat bort. Lucapa's shares rose more than 4% after the announcement. Image: A 2,500 carat parcel from bulk sampling at Lucapa's Mothae mine in Lesotho. (Lucapa Diamond Company)