Technology – Focus Resource Holdings

Equipment & Technology

Factors Which Lead to Success

Integrated team effort
- Geology: resource size and ore characteristics
- Mining: method, mining sequence, extraction strategy and equipment application
- Processing: significant technology developments in the last 8 years
- Recovery: massive advances in technology to optimise recoveries, security focus
- Diamond specialists: determine optimal process flow
- Strong diamond and financial controls
Water and power are an issue on diamond mines
- Clay – lock-up, processing bottle neck
- Waste – screening to pre-concentrate and disposal
- Processing requirements
- Influence costs, recoveries and sales

1st Stage: Front End Ore Preparation

Objective
- Reduce downstream plant requirements, enhance waste removal -> reduce water, power use, diamond breakage
Process
- In-field screening and pre-concentration
- Re-usable and moveable wet front end (alluvial mining tramming distance and clay)
  - No permanent civil infrastructure or retaining walls
  - Technology from alternate applications:
    - Buffalo breakers to reduce clay in the feed (coal mine technology)
    - Advanced screening technology; high frequency screens and innovative screen panels
    - Hydro-cleaning (alternative scrubbing technologies)
Effects
- INCREASE in washing efficiency
- INCREASE in diamond liberation
- INCREASE in ore feed to where it matters most
- INCREASE in diamond recovery
- DECREASE in capital expenditure
- INCREASE in revenue per tonne

2nd Stage: Crushing and Processing

Objective:
- Reduce water and power use, increase efficiency and reduce diamond breakage
Crushing (kimberlites)
- Crushing technology: reduce diamond breakage by correct crusher selection (Kawasaki crushers)
- Autogenous milling: increase diamond liberation which increases grade and revenue
Processing
- Waste sorting: Near infrared and Optical Sorters
- XRT: Large diamond recovery: -32mm particle size 50 tph, +32 mm to 55 mm particle size 100 tph
Effects
- INCREASE in washing efficiency
- DECREASE in waste
- INCREASE in diamond liberation
- INCREASE in diamond recovery
- INCREASE in grade and revenue
- DECREASE in capital expenditure

3rd Stage: Enhanced Diamond Recovery

Objective
- To increase recovery efficiency
Process
- X-ray and XRT technology- can be tailored to needs
- Single particle sorters
- Security technology: access to diamonds, diamond controls, “hands-off”
Effects
- INCREASE in diamond recovery and revenues