BlueRock Diamonds PLC (LON:BRD) has achieved its highest sales to date from the Kareevlei diamond mine in Kimberley, South Africa.
The AIM-listed group earned R3.25mln (US$226,000) from a tender in October, with the number of carats sold at auction also a record at 609.84.
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Importantly, the value of the carats sold rose to US$371.25 compared to US$336.65 previously, said Adam Waugh, chief executive.
The auction confirmed the high quality of diamonds mined at Kareevlei, he added.
“The average price of US$371 per carat was achieved without any exceptionally large diamonds, the largest being 5.5 carats.”
Waugh added that blasting and processing has now started on the level 2 kimberlite.
WATCH: BlueRock gaining international recognition as it clocks up record sales
Grade in the latest tender was 2.64 carat (cpht) while the average grade for total production in the third quarter was 2.49 cpht vs 1.59 cpht in the first half of the year.
Production in October was affected by heavy rainfall over five days though is now back at normal levels and BlueRock will stockpile some material so that it can keep producing in wet weather in future.
BlueRock shares were up 2.9% to 1.72p in afternoon trade on Wednesday.
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