BlueRock Diamonds PLC (LON:BRD) has recovered two gem-quality exceptional stones from its Kareevlei mine in the Kimberley region of South Africa.
The diamonds measure 14.8 carats and 8.7 carats respectively.
"I am very pleased to announce the recovery of two high-value gem-quality diamonds from the Kareevlei diamond mine,” said BlueRock executive chairman Mike Houston in a statement.
He also highlighted the sale of a 12.8 carat diamond, the recovery of which was announced on December 4, 2020, for US$76,000, or US$6,000 per carat.
"The reduced incidence of larger stones in 2020 and the ongoing impact of COVID-19 has reduced our average selling price for 2020 to around US$290, which is around the bottom end of our guidance for 2020. This compares to our estimate of the 2019 price per carat excluding the higher value stones of cUSD330, an approximate 12% decrease. We are hopeful that the discovery of three high-value stones within a month marks the start of a return to mining higher value diamonds,” Houston added.
Diamond sorts at Kareevlei have indicated an increased incidence of diamonds of three carats and above.
“Accordingly, we expect prices to recover in 2021 to reflect this change," said Houston.