Precious minerals

Diamonds
Diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring substance known to man. Although diamonds are carbon in a relatively pure form, colourations can occur, due to other elements present during crystallization. Diamonds may display a variety of colours, ranging from white (colourless), yellow, brown, grey, black, green, orange, blue, pink or red – depending on the type and quantity of other elements present during crystallization.

The two primary-source rock types from which diamonds are economically recovered are kimberlites and lamproites. These two rock types merely transport diamonds from the earth’s upper mantle to its crust. In South Africa, kimberlite is the dominant primary host rock for diamond occurrences. Kimberlite occurs in the earth’s crust as ‘pipes’ and ‘fissures’ or ‘dykes.’

Diamonds that have eroded from kimberlites and have been transported by rivers are concentrated in alluvial deposits. Alluvial diamond-bearing gravels commonly yield diamonds that are predominantly of gem quality.

Batla Minerals, through its subsidiary El Nino Mining, is a specialist contract miner with a proven track record in the field of processing minerals and tailings dumps on behalf of holders of mining rights. We have 18+ years of experience with contract mining and understand the intricacies of such relationships.

Batla is currently doing contract mining in Lesotho and South Africa and has obtained new order minerals rights for diamond mining in South Africa to ensure sustainable growth.