The company said the stones ranged in weight between 10.8 carats and 53.2ct, recovered at the 3000sq.km concession in the Lunda Norte region about 520km from capital city Luanda.
Chief executive of the Australian Securities Exchange-listed company, Stephen Wetherall, said the results from the first four days at BLK08 underlined the potential of the area to produce large, valuable diamonds.
“We are now mining in what is obviously a very exciting diamond field. The BLK08 area yielded our biggest diamond to date, which was a spectacular 131.4ct D colour type 2A gem recovered during our initial bulk sampling programs. The fact that large, special diamonds account for about 45% of the carats we have recovered from mining in this area to date underlines the exceptional nature of this alluvial diamond field and kimberlite province.”
Wetherall added that Lucapa was ramping up production to the targeted rate of 20,000 bulk cubic metres per month.
He also expressed his hope that the source of the stones would be found.
“Finding large alluvial diamonds, together with coarse indicator minerals indicates we may be close to the primary kimberlite source – so the kimberlite pipes we have identified in BLK08 and surround areas are of interest,” Wetherall said.
Lucapa has found two kimberlites at Lulo, an area that hosts nearly 300 kimberlite targets, of which 96 have been classified proven and probable kimberlites. Four have been confirmed as diamond-bearing pipes.