DIAMOND DEVELOPMENT NEWS Star Plant Commissioned, Underground Development Goes Forward

PRINCE ALBERT, Saskatchewan The Star diamond processing plant is being commissioned, notes owner SHORE GOLD of Saskatoon. The plant has a 30-t/h crusher and screening circuit that feeds a 10-t/h dense media separator. Diamonds are recovered using x-ray florescence, a grease table and hand-sorting. Processing the first 1,000-tonnes of kimberlite will be complete by early next month.

At the same time, the shaft and underground development is proceeding on schedule. The shaft has reached a depth of 175 metres, where a shaft station is established. The active mining area is off this level and accessible via lateral drift. About 5,000 tonnes of kimberlite have been stockpiled on surface.

The Star kimberlite is estimated to be 500 million tonnes, one of the largest in the world. The whole story of the project is available at www.shoregold.com.