Tshikapa (DRC)
Through option agreements with Candore, ACACIA and Kwango Mining SPRL, BRC DiamondCore holds PRs in Kasai-Occidental province, within the highly prospective "Kimberlite Emplacement Corridor" which extends northeastward from the rich Kimberlite fields of the Lunda Norte Province in Angola.
The Company believes that the Tshikapa area holds the greatest promise for finding economic diamond-bearing kimberlites in the DRC. The area has produced well over 100 million carats of diamonds and the results from the stream samples taken in the area indicate that abundant kimberlitic indicators are present. It has further been established that these are not abraded and hence are not far removed from their primary source(s). In addition, the chemistry of these minerals suggests that they have been derived from mineralized kimberlites.
The Company has covered almost 9,000 km² in this highly prospective area around Tshikapa with detailed stream sampling and airborne geophysics. It has retained 2,400 km² of the most prospective ground with very encouraging geophysical and sampling targets. The Company has applied its aggressive approach to turn over ground and only retain those areas that are likely to host kimberlites.
Exploration Program
During 2007, the Company collected 303 prospecting samples and completed a 32,000 line kilometre airborne geophysical survey. The resulting data produced several promising magnetic targets associated with unabraded kimberlite minerals recovered from the stream samples. Artisanal workings close to some of these targets not only produce alluvial diamonds but also have abundant garnets and ilmenites with fresh surface textures associated with them suggesting that these grains are proximal to their source(s).
In 2008, the Company purchased a man portable core drill rig capable of drilling down to 300 metres and began drilling in June 2008, initially focused on sanitizing areas for relinquishment purposes by law due during the last quarter of this year. Of the 12 holes drilled between June and September, two holes intersected ironstone, three intersected late stage granites and two went into grano-diorites. The final three holes intersected breccia.
Two additional option agreements were signed with Group Abba and Investors Equity Ltd. respectively for four licences in favourable geological terrain around Tshikapa and which contain very promising geophysical targets.
Wamba and Candore East Projects
The Company has initiated two additional exploration projects near Tshikapa.
Several licences were taken out in the Wamba drainage basin, located between the Kwango River and Tshikapa, where diamonds and kimberlitic minerals have been reported. Stream sampling has confirmed confined kimberlite targets and once all the microprobe results have been received a program of airborne geophysics over selected areas will be initiated.
BRC applied for and received more ground at the Candore East project close to the Sankuru River where well defined heavy mineral anomalies have been identified by the Company. Diamonds of good quality have also been reported from a specific river basin close to the Sankuru draining the ground held by the Company. Follow up sampling is planned during the last quarter of this year to highlight the immediate area of interest for a detailed geophysical survey.
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