Adelaide, Nov 20, 2006 AEST (ABN Newswire) - The lack of discovery of major new diamond fields in Australia and globally has been blamed on the loss of "excitement in the field" about finding the gems as exploration crews wait weeks for laboratory analysis.
Addressing the 2006 World Diamond Conference in Perth today, Mr Ewen Tyler, Chairman of North Australian Diamonds Ltd, said it "was time" for another major diamond discovery somewhere in the world as there had not been one for 15 years.
"The reason for the non acceleration of discovery is that the excitement of discovery has been lost to men and women in the field by the time something of interest transfers from geos to the field camp to the laboratory," Mr Tyler said.
"We have lost the buzz of concentrating samples in the field and following up on a day to day basis to push for the result.
"Ellendale (WA) stepped up to the mark when two carat stones were seen on the surface; while Ashton persisted at Merlin (NT) when it retrieved sizable carats from bulk sampling.
"The sector needs to question whether its exploration search effort is relying too much on new technology rather than tried and tested diamond exploration ways of the past."
Mr Tyler said he was not suggesting all that had been learned from laboratory work be set aside as they continued to be the eyes of the search, and geophysics was useful for determining those large areas showing prospective kimberlites.
"Greater usage should be made, however, of bulk sampling. It is costlier but Australia's diamond exploration sector needs to inject more brain power to get 'bigger bang for its buck'.
"One solution is to consider greater number of field recovery plants that can generate early answers and help persuade young geologists to go back to the bush."
Contact
Kevin Skinner
Senior Consultant
FIELD PUBLIC RELATIONS
231 South Road
MILE END SA 5031
Tel: (08) 8234 9555
Fax: (08) 8234 9566
Mob: 0414 822 631
kevin@fieldpr.com.au
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