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A
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alluvial
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refers to material formed or deposited by running water
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Archaean
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the period of geological time before 2,500 Ma
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B
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Basement
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the igneous, granitized or metamorphic crust of the Earth, below which sedimentary deposits do not occur
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blow
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a thickening (usually more than 10m thick) of a dyke
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C
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carat or ct
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a standard unit of weight for diamonds, 1 carat equals 0.2 grams
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conflict diamonds
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diamonds mined in a war zone and typically sold to finance an insurgency, invading army's war efforts or supporting a warlord's activity
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core drilling
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drilling with a hollow bit and core barrel to obtain a rock core sample
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cpht
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carats per hundred tonnes
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crater facies
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flat lying sedimentary and volcaniclastic rocks found in the uppermost parts of kimberlite craters
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craton
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part of the Earth's crust, usually formed from igneous and
metamorphic rocks, that has been stable for at least 1,000 Ma. Primary
diamondiferous deposits are generally restricted to Archaean cratons,
i.e. those over 2,500 Ma old
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D
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diamondiferous
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containing diamonds
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diatreme
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a pipe-like volcanic vent or pipe created deep within the Earth's crust by gaseous magma sourced from the mantle and containing fragments
of rock and minerals
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DMS
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dense media separation, a technique used to produce a diamond bearing concentrate
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dyke
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a vertical or near-vertical sheet-like body of igneous rock which is discordant (i.e. cuts across the bedding or structural planes of the host rock).
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F
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feasability study
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a comprehensive study, including final engineering, undertaken to
determine the economic feasibility of a project; the conclusion will
determine if a production decision can be made and is used for
financing arrangements. Typically, the accuracy of these studies aims
to be in the +/- 10 to 15 per cent. range
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G
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grade
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the relative mass of diamonds in a mass of rock.
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H
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ha
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hectare.
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hypabyssal
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a magmatic intrusion which has crystallised at a relatively shallow depth
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indicated resource
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that part of a diamond resource for which tonnage and volume, densities, shape, physical characteristics, grade and average diamond
value can be estimated with a reasonable level of confidence. It is
based on exploration, sampling and testing information gathered
through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops,
trenches, pits, workings and drillholes. The locations are too widely or
inappropriately spaced to confirm geological and grade continuity but are spaced closely enough for continuity to be assumed and sufficient
diamonds have been recovered to allow a reasonable estimate of
average diamond value
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inferred resource
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that part of a diamond resource for which tonnage or volume, grade and average diamond value can be estimated with a low level of
confidence. It is inferred from geological evidence and assumed, but
not verified geological and grade continuity and a sufficiently large
diamond parcel is not available to ensure a reasonable representation
of the diamond assortment. It is based on information gathered through
appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, renches, pits,
workings and drillholes that may be limited or of uncertain quality
and reliability
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in-situ
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rock occurring as was originally emplaced with all associated after geological events that have tectonically and structurally influenced the
rock as seen today
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K
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kimberlite indicator minerals or "KIM's"
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a mineral, the presence of which may indicate the presence of kimberlite and other minerals, including diamonds
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kimberlite
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an uneven grained, ultramafic, intrusive igneous rock in which the visible minerals may include olivine, phlogopite, pyrope garnet,
picroilmenite and chrome-diopside cemented by a groundmass, which
may include serpentine, calcite and chromite. Kimberlite may be
diamondiferous and, along with olivine lamproites, are the only known
primary source of diamonds
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km2
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square kilometres
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M
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macrodiamond
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diamonds which would be recovered in a full scale mine plant; generally taken as being greater than 0.85 millimetres in the longest
axial dimension
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mantle
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the inner part of the Earth from the crust to the core
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Ma
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million years
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mct/y
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million carats per year
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measured resource
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that part of a Diamond Resource for which tonnage and volume, densities, shape, physical characteristics, grade and average diamond
value can be estimated with a high level of confidence. It is based on
detailed and reliable exploration, sampling and testing information
gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as
outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drillholes. The locations are
spaced closely enough to confirm geological and grade continuity and
sufficient diamonds have been recovered to allow a confident estimate
of average diamond value
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microdiamond
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diamonds usually considered of no commercial value and too small to be recovered in a full scale mining operation; less than 0.5 millimetres in two axial dimensions
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mm
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millimetres
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pipe or diatreme
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the carrot shaped volcanic vent that has been formed by explosive action and is characteristic of kimberlite
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pre-feasibility study
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preliminary feasibility (pre-feasibility) studies are the intermediate step in the project evaluation. At this stage there is sufficient drilling, bulk sampling and process test work for preliminary engineering.
Typically, the accuracy of these studies is in the +/- 15-25 per cent. range. The goal of these studies is to determine the mining and milling extraction methods and rates, the product recoveries, environmental and permitting issues, preliminary capital and operating cost estimates
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strike
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the horizontal direction or trend of a geological structure
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tectonic
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pertaining to the forces involved in, or the resulting structures of, movement in the Earth's crust
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tph
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tonnes per hour
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ultramafic
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term given to an igneous rocks containing less than 45 per cent. silica
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