Diamond Lakes- The awakening of a Legend.

Diamonds have traditionally been associated with opulence, wealth, power and majesty. They are a currency all on their own and a trading tool of the Uber Wealthy and Mega Powerful. Some diamonds are cheap and some are phenomenally expensive. Since the recent sale of a spectacular Blue Diamond for $2 million USD per carat, Red Purple Diamonds are expected to fetch up to $4 million USD per carat if Internally Flawless. Poor quality diamonds can be had for a few dollars a carat, and though cheap still have the fire of a diamond inside. Diamonds are not scarce. They are mined in many places all over the globe. Getting into benefitting from the Industry is another matter altogether. The Diamond Industry is a closed club. Previously overwhelmingly dominated by DeBeers, the diamond market has loosened slightly and there has been a rise in the amount of big players in the industry. The medium to small scale mining operations that exist, exist all over the globe, and account for a relatively small portion of the total diamonds mined a year which can be as high as a hundred million carats a year. Only a small amount of the stones mined are gem quality and make it to the retail jewellery market.

Unfortunately, Mining in Africa, and Diamond Mining in particular, conjures up images of slavery, occupation, forced labour in and amongst the horrors of child soldiers and conflict funding.

Diamonds have been funding war for millennia, and there is always a threat that illicit or blood diamonds can enter the World Diamond Industry through corrupt channels. The Kimberley Process and System of Guarantees has been designed to try to prevent blood diamonds getting into the system, however, the system is dependent on the integrity of individual operators. The only concrete way you have of knowing that a diamond is legitimately sourced is by tracking it from its source. Blockchain technology offers some solutions in this regard but is only beneficial to the big producers of diamonds.

All in all though, unless your name is Rhinehart, Oppenheimer, Motsepe or Ramaphosa, the opportunity to get involved in Diamond Mining is few and far between, or more realistically- non existent.

Until now that is.

South Africa has been part of the Diamond Industry that from the late 1800’s practised oppressive business and employment practises of immeasurable horror. Of late however, the New South Africa initiated policies aimed at reformation and redistribution within the South African Mining Sector, including the Diamond Industry as a whole. Diamonds are now starting to be used for Social Development in areas where previously they were mined and the wealth removed. The SA Mining Charter calls for positive change in allowing for a more Broad Based involvement in the mining sector including more representation by women. The Bloodless Diamond Women in Mining Project is one such empowerment project being undertaken by the mine Diamond Lakes and the company Bloodless Diamonds Africa. BDAfrica is busy raising capital for its phase 2 and 3 developments and for the first time in many generations, Diamond Lakes is slowly grumbling back into production.

This time though, things will be different. A big proportion of the diamond revenue that comes in will be set aside towards social development and other socially benevolent projects.

The Bloodless Diamonds Group are currently recruiting investors globally. If you are interested goto www.bloodlessdiamondsafrica.net and send us an expression of interest.

We are also interested in speaking to financiers, mining engineers, alluvial mining specialists, geophysicists, drone technology experts, drilling specialists and other civil specialists with regards the future development of this project.

There is currently one Contract operator on the site, African Diamond Resources. More details about the operator is available to investors only.

The contractor started operations late last year and has done a comprehensive bulk sample of several known diamond bearing sites and one tailings dump. About 2000 carats have been recovered since operations started with only the surface gravels having really been sampled.

The current plant and operation is Adequate for a maximum of 150 000 tons per month but is only performing at 50 000 tons per month and 50 hrs per week.

Diamond Lakes falls within the Welverdiend Grasfontein Diamond Run, traditionally the richest alluvial diamond run the World has seen- or so it has been said, many a times and by many a geologist and historian. The First diamond in the area was found on the mine Mat Roux and Sons which is just down the road from Diamond Lakes. Mining on Diamond Lakes started in the mid 20’s and carried on till 1939 until the outbreak of the second WW. Mining continued again after the 2WW but never to any great degree. DL was mined by several operators in the latter part of last century, including Transhex. Professor Edgar Stettler did his theses on DL in the latter part of the last century, and knows the area intimately.

The Hub of DL is comprised Pienaar’s Pothole, and the S1 and S2 potholes. A huge capital injection is required to mine the area competently.

DL was extensively mined last century. Until 1939 it was recorded that Pienaar’s Pothole was logged to have produced 500 000 cts. Mind you, this is only what was disclosed to the authorities.

With the further mining that continued after the 2WW and until the late 1980’s, it is estimated that total went up to 700 000 carats. The geology of diamond lakes is replicated in 4 distinct pothole formations on the property. The mining that took place in the early part of last century was, apart from the Pienaar’s Pothole excavation, small scale and limited in depth to about 6 metres. The mine has been extensively surveyed, albeit last last century, and continues to astonish with the estimated reserves on site, both proven and inferred.

ADR has sampled several areas. Most of these are very easily accessible with little or no overburden.

The most promising sites are without doubt the S1 and S2 potholes.

The sites sampled include the Pienaar’s Pothole tailings and insitu gravels North West of Pienaar’s Pothole.

In addition to the sites sampled by ADR there are several other known diamondiferous gravel sites on the mine, including one recently discovered pothole formation. The development of the project promises plenty of excitement and troves of diamonds. Check our website out for more info or follow us on Facebook and Linkedin- Bloodless Diamonds Africa and Diamond Lakes