Merlin Diamonds has announced the recommencement of operations at the Merlin diamond mine, located in the Northern Territory, following approval from the Department of Mines and Energy.
According to the company website, the site has 14 kimberlite pipes and nine of those were subject to open-pit mining during a five-year operating period that ended in 2003. During that time, 507,000 carats were yielded, including a 104.73-carat stone that was said to be the largest diamond found in Australia.
A pilot production project also took place in 2013.
The mine reportedly has a remaining resource of 4.3 million carats and an 11-year life span.
Merlin Diamonds stated that pumping water from the pit in preparation for mining had begun and operations were expected to start in October 2016.
Foundation Resources is another company assisting with the project, focusing on technical plans for the operations and the recommissioning of the diamond-processing plant. The group has been involved in diamond mining projects at Ellendale and Smoke Creek in Western Australia as well as in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Angola, DRC and Indonesia.
Jeweller contacted Merlin Diamonds for further comment but the company had not responded at the time of publication.
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