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It is well known that the pyrope garnet is genetically closest to the diamond mineral.
Therefore, its chemical composition must reflect the thermodynamical environment
of the crystallization of diamond. The attempt to convert standard microprobe
analyses of garnets into real numbers of diamond grade was made [1]. It appears that
this attempt was satisfactory: high grade for the DO-27, NWT, Canada (70.81 cpht)
was predicted (in year 2000) – well before it was confirmed by latest exploration
(since 2005) – at the time when traditional methods proved only one cpht for this
kimberlite [39, 44, 45]. The bulk sampling of the DO-27 pipe in 1994 “did not
produce the anticipated high grades, led to a catastrophic Canadian junior stock
market crash and abandonment of the project” [52].
What was the reason for Peregrine Diamonds to waste million of dollars to re-
evaluate DO-27 ten years later, after two of the world’s most famous specialists (Dr.
Luc Rombouts and Dr. Grant Boxer) confirmed that this kimberlite is almost barren?
The computer program was also created to provide clear genetical identification for
each garnet grain picked, either from the kimberlite concentrate or from the soil
samples.
One of the most important conclusions of this investigation relating to the garnet
chemistry was a discovery of three compositional fields of eclogitic garnets [3]:
“ECL-1” for “igneous eclogites”, “ECL-2” for “metasomatic eclogites” and “ECL-
3” for “eclogites of regional metamorphism”. Therefore, kimberlite diamonds are
coming from four sources: one peridotitic (“PYR”) and three eclogitic.
The basic file for this program (>130 Mb) was created using publically available
data mostly consisting of open files and articles.
1
The accumulation of garnet chemical data allows for a greater database to draw upon
as research continues. Below is a table with latest information. Those of us who have
access to relevant data can compare these predictions with their own confidential
information, and then make their own conclusions.
Some minor variations between my calculations and the final mining data should
occur due to the bottom screening dimensions and some dilution of kimberlite by
xenoliths of country rocks. This is due to the diamond grade being calculated for the
total diamond population without dilution.
Degree of confidence directly depends on the number of garnet grains. Data received
from less than 100 grains cannot be the final. Predicted diamond grade for high
degree depends on the quality of the sampling and on the accuracy of the
geographical coordinates of the kimberlite location. In case these calculations will
prove to be correct by confirmation with the mining data, it will be the most concrete
evidence for a direct genetic link between diamonds and garnets. This will prove that
the two are not xenocrysts in relation to the host kimberlite rocks.
Table 1. Africa.
Notes-1 for all tables. Kimberlites, their geographical location, and diamond grade,
which was calculated, based on chemical composition of the garnets extracted from
the kimberlite concentrate compare to the final mining data. “DIF” – diamond
inclusion field. Column “DG Forecast” in combination with column “Number of
garnets grains in DIF” indicates diamond abundance of kimberlite from each
separated source [3]: “Hyperbasitic” source (“PYR”), “Igneous” eclogites (“ECL-1”),
“Metasomatic” eclogites (“ECL-2”) and “Metamorphic” eclogites (“ECL-3”). Column
“DG Forecast” includes total diamond population including microdiamonds below
cut-off size and dilution with xenoliths. That is why perhaps the “DG Forecast” is
constantly higher than the “Final mining data”.
2
Total = 149.44 =148.58
3
12 Letseng-satellite [35] Lesotho 11 PYR = 50.77 Both Av. =
= 1.90 [71]
4
[72]
= 7.71 – 16.62
[73]
5
8 C-13 NWT, 166 PYR = 56.79 No data
Canada
6
8 Yankee [9] Ontario, 101 PYR = 11.07 No data
Canada
7
17 MacFadyen-1 [9] Ontario, 178 PYR = 44.01 No data
Canada 1 ECL-3 = 59.09
Total = 103.10
8
Canada
9
Canada
10
Canada
8 Renard-65 Quebec No data No data 23 – 33 [78]
Canada
9 Renard-9 Quebec No data No data 45 – 50 [78]
Canada
10 Lynx Dyke Quebec No data No data 96 – 120 [78]
Canada
11 Hibou Dyke Quebec No data No data 104 – 151 [78]
Canada
11
5 ECL-2 = 156.77
1 ECL-3 = 36.87
Total = 321.88
12
14 FalC-140 (Orion-South) Saskatchewan 456 PYR = 56.78 No data
Canada 1 ECL-3 = 23.55
[63] Total = 80.33
13
[63] Canada
Fig. 1. Orion kimberlite. Map. Saskatchewan. [69]. Black broken line indicates
location of the cross-section of the Fig. 2.
14
Fig. 2. Symmetry in the Orion diamond grade distribution. Red line indicates
graphically the variability of kimberlite diamond grade. Data from Table 5. Vertical
cross-section on the line FalC: 120 – 147 – 121 – 119 – 140.
15
Table 6. Canada, Alberta. Notes see Table 1
16
1 Mir [40] Yakutia, 252 PYR = 41.21 [40]
Russia 11 ECL-3 = 54.64
Total = 96.93 ~ 100
17
9a Botuobinskaya [37] Yakutia, 86 PYR = 51.23 No data
Russia 4 ECL-3 = 35.64
Total = 86.87
18
13 Zagadochnaya [15] Yakutia, 37 PYR = 16.79 No data
Russia
19
21 Nachalnaya [40] Yakutia 26 PYR = 58.26 No data
Russia
20
Russia
21
42 Ustinova [40] Yakutia 119 PYR = 18.24 No data
Russia 1 ECL-3 = 92.49
Total = 110.74
22
Total = 94.02
23
64 Dolgozhdannaya [40] Yakutia 60 PYR = 16.72 No data
Russia
24
74 Iksovaya [40] Yakutia 50 PYR = 15.07 No data
Russia 1 ECL-3 = 69.61
Total = 84.69
25
82 Zapadnaya [40] Yakutia 47 PYR = 6.64 No data
Russia
* Sample “10b - Zarnitsa” has insufficient (58) number of garnets. Its diamond
grade (61.52) differs from “10a – Zarnitsa” grade (17.52) and “Final mining
data” (15) which are close between themselves. Sample 10a is almost twice
bigger (93) than sample 10b.
26
Russia
27
1 Tanoma Mine [21] Pennsylvania, 19 PYR = 5.81 No data
USA
28
4 Riachao [30] Brazil 10 PYR = 7.16 No data
29
6 Rantala [24] Finland 44 PYR = 67.94 No data
30
3
Dalnaya might contain block of the massive kimberlite, which occupies about 50%
of the total volume of the pipe.
4
Geophyzicheskaya might contain block of the massive kimberlite, which occupies
about 50% of the pipe volume.
5
151 pyropes were analyzed for Torngat-2 [9]. None of them match Diamond
Inclusion Fields.
6
according to [36], Phase A should be four times better than Phase B
CONCLUSIONS.
31
ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
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32
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