Mountain Province Announces Results of Independent Diamond Valuation for Gahcho Kue Project
November 17 2008 - 7:50AM
PR Newswire (US)
Shares Issued and Outstanding: 59,932,381 TSX: MPV AMEX: MDM
TORONTO and NEW YORK, Nov. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mountain
Province Diamonds Inc (TSX: MPV, AMEX: MDM) ("the Company") today
announced the results of an independent valuation of the diamonds
recovered from the Gahcho Kue Project during the exploration phase.
The valuation was conducted by WWW International Diamond
Consultants Ltd. and took place at the London offices of the
Diamond Trading Company on 22 and 23 September 2008. Subsequent to
the valuation, WWW has revised its Price Book and all diamond
values presented below are based on the WWW Price Book as at 13
October 2008. Commenting, Mountain Province President and CEO,
Patrick Evans, said: "We are pleased with the results of this
independent diamond valaution. The encouraging 63 percent increase
in the actual price of the Gahcho Kue diamonds reflects a
statistically more robust sample and rising rough diamond prices
since our last independent valuation of a smaller and less
representative diamond parcel in 2006." Table 1 below reflects the
actual price per carat for the parcel of 8,195.17 carats of
diamonds recovered from the Gahcho Kue Project. Table 1: Actual
Price (US$/carat)
--------------------------------------------------- Kimberlite
Carats US$/carat Dollars
--------------------------------------------------- 5034 3,133.02
122 381,080 ---------------------------------------------------
Tuzo 2,155.70 252 542,431
--------------------------------------------------- Hearne 2,906.45
62 179,032 ---------------------------------------------------
Total 8,195.17 135 1,102,543
--------------------------------------------------- Table 2 below
presents models of the average price per carat (US$/carat) for each
kimberlite lithology. The modeled price per carat is determined
using statistical methods to estimate the average value of diamonds
that will be recovered from potential future production from Gahcho
Kue. Table 2: Models of Average Price (US$/carat)
------------------------------------------------------ Model Price
Minimum Price High Price Kimberlite ($/carat) ($/carat) ($/carat)
------------------------------------------------------ 5034 NE Lobe
120 108 145 ------------------------------------------------------
5034 Centre 112 102 133
------------------------------------------------------ 5034 West
124 112 149 ------------------------------------------------------
Tuzo Other 88 80 107
------------------------------------------------------ Tuzo TK TK1
102 91 126 ------------------------------------------------------
Tuzo TK 70 64 83
------------------------------------------------------ Hearne 73 67
86 ------------------------------------------------------ (+1.50mm
bottom cut-off) In their report to Mountain Province, WWW stated:
"The Tuzo sample and the 5034 East sample both contained one high
value large stone. For Tuzo there was a 25.14 carat stone valued at
$17,000 per carat and 5034 East had a 9.90 carat stone valued at
$15,000 per carat. It is encouraging that such high value stones
were recovered in samples of this size. If they are found in the
same frequency throughout the resource then the modelled APs
(Average Prices's) will certainly be towards the "high" values
(highlighted in the right column of Table 2 above)." Commenting
further, Mr. Evans said: "Experience shows that during the mining
phase larger populations of large, high value diamonds are commonly
recovered, which has the potential to significantly improve diamond
revenues. Besides the high-value 25.14 and 9.9 carat diamonds
referred to above, several other large diamonds of gem quality have
been recovered from Gahcho Kue, including 7.0 carat, 6.6 carat and
5.9 carat diamonds from the 5034 kimberlite and 8.7 carat, 6.4
carat and 4.9 carat diamonds from the Hearne kimberlite. The
presence of coarser diamonds is an important driver of overall
diamond value at Gahcho Kue." The WWW Price Book as at October 13,
2008, reflects a significant write down to reflect the current
market conditions. Since then the diamond market, in the context of
the overall financial markets, has deteriorated further. However,
WWW believes that the already discounted Price Book of October 13,
2008, provides a reasonable and conservative view of the likely
value of Gahcho Kue's production at the time that it may come into
production in several years time. The long-term supply/demand
fundamentals, in WWW's opinion, highlights that a shortage of rough
diamond supply will still prevail, but be deferred given the sudden
drop in demand reflecting the current global economic situation,
which has depressed all commodity prices in the short term. In
fact, the current market difficulties will inevitably take out
considerable rough diamond supply capacity in the short term, but
may well work in favour of a new mine coming on stream at Gahcho
Kue in several years time. Located in Canada's Northwest
Territories, Gahcho Kue is one of the largest new diamond mines
under development globally. The project consists of a cluster of
three primary kimberlites with an indicated resource of
approximately 14.4 million tonnes grading at 1.64 carats per tonne
(approximately 23.6 million carats) and an inferred resource of
approximately 17 million tonnes grading at 1.35 carats per tonne
(approximately 22.9 million carats). Mountain Province Diamonds (49
percent) is a joint venture partner with De Beers Canada Inc (51
percent) in the Gahcho Kue project. De Beers is the operator of the
project and can be called on to fund the project through to
commercial production. Qualified Person This news release has been
prepared under the supervision of Carl G. Verley, P.Geo., who
serves as the qualified person under National Instrument 43-101.
Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain
forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the "safe-harbor"
provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995,
regarding the Company's business or financial condition. Actual
results could differ materially from those described in this news
release as a result of numerous factors, some of which are outside
the control of the Company. DATASOURCE: Mountain Province Diamonds
Inc. CONTACT: Mountain Province Diamonds Inc., Patrick Evans,
President and CEO, Tel: (416) 670-5114
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