The Star-Orion South diamond project 60 km east of Prince Albert is moving toward the bulk sampling stage. Owner Star Diamond Corp. says that Rio Tinto Exploration Canada - holder of an option to earn a 60% interest - has begun sonic and core drilling of up to 25 pilot holes in preparation for bulk sampling the Orion South kimberlite.
The sonic drilling will provide a detailed look at the overburden stratigraphy, and the core drilling will examine the geology of the kimberlite itself. Boart Longyear has two rigs at the property to conduct the sonic drilling. George Downing Estate Drilling also has two rigs on site and is doing the diamond drilling.
Star Diamond senior VP exploration and development George Read said in a news release, "Detailed logging of these pilot sonic and core holes is most important in order to understand the internal structure of the overburden and kimberlite to facilitate [Rio's] bulk sampling. This detailed understanding of the internal structure of the kimberlite will ensure that kimberlite units with different diamond populations are collected as separate samples during the future bulk sampling."
This story first appeared in Canadian Mining Journal.