The award-winning paper focuses on whether using microdiamonds – defined by De Beers as any diamond passing through a 0.5 mm square mesh screen – for resource estimation is an effective and appropriate method.
Application of microdiamonds
The paper addresses resource estimation concerns by discussing the geology of the mantle, the principal diamond host rocks, and the impact of mantle processes; comparing microdiamond and macrodiamond properties and features; and outlines steps to identify and mitigate the risk of diamond resorption and its impact on the diamond grade-size relationship.
"The application of microdiamonds for the generation of resource estimates is poorly understood by many people in the diamond mining industry, even those with a technical background. A clear understanding of the geological environment in which microdiamonds form, as well as the volcanic mechanisms which lead to their ultimate emplacement within the kimberlite volcano, is key to the successful analysis and interpretation of these small stones. The best way to inform the broader scientific community was through a publication, which allowed us to demonstrate some of the learnings obtained as a result of our recent applied research to improve the uses of micro-diamonds in the resource estimation process," he shares.
You can learn more about diamond geology and formation here.
