REG - BlueRock DiamondsPLC - Operations Update

Bluerock DiamondsAnnouncement

23/01/2023 12:45

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RNS Number : 5788N  BlueRock Diamonds PLC  23 January 2023

BlueRock Diamonds PLC / AIM: BRD / Sector: Natural Resources

23 January 2023

BlueRock Diamonds PLC ('BlueRock' or the 'Company')

Operations Update

 

BlueRock Diamonds Plc (BRD), the AIM listed diamond producer, which owns and
operates the Kareevlei Diamond Mine ('Kareevlei') in the Kimberley region of
South Africa, announces an update on operational activity.

 

Operations update

 

Kareevlei Mine - suspension of operations

 

Operations at the Kareevlei Mine ('KVL' or 'the mine') were suspended by the
South African Department of Mineral Resources and Energy ('DMRE') on Friday
20(th) January 2023 after an unscheduled visit to KVL by Officials of the
Department.

 

The Officials issued an instruction in terms of Section 54 and Section 55 of
the Mines Health and Safety Act ('the Act') that activities at the mine be
suspended until contraventions identified by them are rectified.  KVL is
challenging the procedures followed by the Officials as well as the
instruction to suspend operations which the Company believes are not
consistent with the protocols or requirements of the Act.

 

It is emphasised that the contraventions which were identified do not place
employees or other workers on the site at risk, and Management is of the
opinion that the instruction to suspend operations is not appropriate given
the nature of the findings.

 

KVL is addressing the matters raised by the DMRE, most of which are for the
processing plant, and corrective action will be completed by Tuesday 24(th)
January 2023, with the site expected to be operational by Friday 27(th)
January 2023.

 

There is sufficient ore on the stockpile and ROM Pad to ensure that there is
no disruption to operations when the plant is restarted.

 

The board is considering the impact of the closure and will update the market
in due course.

 

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to
constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations
(EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ('MAR'). Upon the publication of this
announcement via Regulatory Information Service ('RIS'), this inside
information is now considered to be in the public domain.

 

**ENDS**

 

For further information, please visit BlueRock's website
www.bluerockdiamonds.co.uk or contact:

 

 BlueRock Diamonds

 Victor Dingle, CEO                     v.dingle@bluerock.co.uk
 SP Angel (NOMAD and Broker)

 Stuart Gledhill / Harry Davies-Ball    Tel: +44 (0)20 3470 0470
 St Brides Partners Ltd (Financial PR)

 Isabel de Salis / Charlotte Page       bluerock@stbridespartners.co.uk

 

Notes to editors:

BlueRock Diamonds is an AIM-listed diamond producer which operates the
Kareevlei Diamond Mine near Kimberley in South Africa which produces diamonds
of exceptional quality and ranks in the top ten in the world in terms of
average value per carat. The Kareevlei licence area covers 3,000 hectares and
hosts five known diamondiferous kimberlite pipes with a combined inferred
resource of 10.4 million tonnes / 516,200 carats (February 2021); based on its
planned production of 1 million tonnes per annum, this provides a minimum
10-year life of mine

 

 

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