Lucapa delivers more diamonds in June quarter

PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diamond miner Lucapa Diamond Company has reported a 20% increase in production at its Lulo project, in Angola during the June quarter.

The mine produced 5 058 ct of diamonds during the three months to June, up from the 4 203 ct produced in the previous corresponding period, with the total weight of special stones increasing by 18%, to 1 412 ct.

The number of special diamonds recovered also increased by 7%, to 61, bringing the number of special stones produced during the first half of the year to 118.

Lucapa told shareholders on Thursday that the increase in production resulted from a 27% increase in mining volumes, with 72 671 bulk cubic meters mined during the quarter.

The diamond inventory at the end of the quarter was reported at 2 755 ct, which is up 61% on the previous corresponding period. The inventory includes a number of large high-value special diamonds held over from the most recent diamond sale.