- Diamond explorer Lucapa Diamond Company (LOM) acquires proprietary airborne hyperspectral data to assist in identifying and mapping kimberlite targets for follow-up exploration at its Merlin diamond project in the Northern Territory
- The De Beers airborne data, acquired from IGO (IGO), has been unused since its collection more than 25 years ago and not been available to previous operators before Lucapa
- Lucapa says its data interpretation indicates direct detection of magnesium-rich clays associated with kimberlite, which is the primary mineral target for diamond exploration
- The company says it is also in the process of undertaking a feasibility study on a proposed open-pit mine development at Merlin that is on track to be completed in Q3 2022
- LOM shares last traded at 7.7 cents
Lucapa Diamond Company (LOM) has acquired proprietary airborne hyperspectral data to assist in identifying and mapping kimberlite targets for follow-up exploration at its Merlin diamond project in the Northern Territory.
The company said the De Beers airborne data, acquired from IGO (IGO), was not available to previous operators of the project and remained unused for about 25 years.
Lucapa said its data interpretation indicated several applications could help the diamond exploration program at Merlin, including direct detection of magnesium-rich clays – the primary mineral target – associated with kimberlites.
Managing Director Stephen Wetherall said the information “will allow a level of target generation not previously seen in this highly prospective kimberlite province, where all 13 of the previously identified kimberlite bodies are diamondiferous”.
“We are pleased to have acquired the hyperspectral data, which we understand has been left unused for more than 25 years since its collection by De Beers,” he said.
The company said the data would be integrated with existing airborne geophysics, ground geophysics, heavy mineral soil sampling and geochemical soil sampling.
Further interpretation of the integrated data would assist in identifying kimberlite
targets to follow up with drilling, sampling or geophysical surveys, it said.
Lucapa said it was also in the process of undertaking a feasibility study on a proposed open-pit mine development at Merlin that was on track to be completed in Q3 2022.
LOM shares last traded at 7.7 cents on April 8.