On the unusual characteristics of the diamonds from Letšeng-la-Terae kimberlites, Lesotho

Lithos

Volumn 112, Issue , 2009, Pages 767-774

  Bowen, Debbie C ^a   Ferraris, Ray D ^a   Palmer, Claire E ^b   Ward, John D ^c  

^a Let eng Diamonds (Pty) Ltd   (Lesotho)

^b CSIR Natural Resources and the Environment   (South Africa)

^c Gem Diamond Technical Services (Pty) Ltd Dunkeld   (South Africa)

Author keywords

Kimberlite; Let eng la Terae; Letseng; Pipe; Type IIa diamond

Indexed keywords

ALLUVIAL DEPOSIT; ARTISANAL MINING; DIAMOND; INDUSTRIAL MINERAL; KIMBERLITE; MINERAL RESOURCE; SOURCE ROCK;

AFRICA; LESOTHO; SOUTHERN AFRICA; SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA;

EID: 71749111443     PISSN: 00244937     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.lithos.2009.04.026     Document Type: Article

References (18)

1. Appleyard, C.M., 2006. U-Pb dating of zircons from the Letseng-la-Terae Satellite Pipe. De Beers Group Exploration Internal Report for Letšeng Diamonds (Pty) Ltd (unpublished). De Beers Group Exploration, Johannesburg.
2. Bloomer A.G., and Nixon P.H. The geology of the Letšeng-la-Terae kimberlite pipes. In: Nixon P.H. (Ed). Lesotho Kimberlites, Lesotho National Development Corporation, Maseru (1973) 20-36
3. Bowen, D.C., Ferraris, R.D., Ward, J.D., 2007. Naturally high! - On the Type IIa diamonds from Letšeng Mine, Lesotho. Abstract only. Diamonds in Kimberley Symposium. The Directorate of Professional Programmes of the Geological Society of South Africa. Kimberley, August 2007, 3 pp.
4. Duncan, A.R., Marsh, J.S., 2006. The Karoo Igneous Province. In: Johnson, M.R., Anhaeusser, C.R., Thomas, R.J. (Eds.), The Geology of South Africa. Geological Society of South Africa, Johannesburg / Council for Geoscience, Pretoria, 501-520.
5. Fisher, D., 2009, this issue. Brown diamonds and high pressure high temperature treatment. Proceedings of the 9th International Kimberlite Conference. Lithos 112S, 619-624.
6. Harris J.W. Observations on the Letšeng-la-Terae diamonds. In: Nixon P.H. (Ed). Lesotho Kimberlites, Lesotho National Development Corporation, Maseru (1973) 37-38
7. Liddicoat R.T. The GIA Diamond Dictionary. 3rd ed (1993) Santa Monica, California. 275 pp
8. McDade P., and Harris J.W. Syngenetic inclusion bearing diamonds from Letseng-la-Terai, Lesotho. In: Gurney J.J., Gurney J.L., Pascoe M.D., and Richardson S.H. (Eds). Proceedings of the 7th International Kimberlite Conference Volume 2, Red Roof Designs, Cape Town (1999) 557-565
9. McKenna, N., 2004. Physical Characteristics and Infrared Properties of Diamonds from the Satellite Pipe at Letseng-la-Terai, Lesotho. De Beers Group Exploration, Geoscience Centre, Internal Report for Letšeng Diamonds (Pty) Ltd (unpublished). De Beers Group Exploration, Johannesburg.
10. Meyer H.O.A. Genesis of diamond: a mantle saga. American Mineralogist 70 (1985) 344-355
11. Nowicki T., Galloway M., le Roex A., Gurney J., Smith C., and Canil D. Iron-in-Perovskite Oxygen Barometry and Diamond Resorption in Kimberlites and Lamproites from Southern Africa, Russia and Australia. 9th International Kimberlite Conference Extended Abstract No. 9IKC-A-00301 (2008) 3pp
12. Palmer, C.E., Whitelock, T.K., Bowen, D.C., 2007. A guide to the Letšeng Diamond Mine. Unpublished Field Guide Produced by Letšeng Diamonds (Pty) Ltd; 18 pp. Available at Letšeng Diamond Mine, Lesotho, and Gem Diamond Technical Services (Pty) Ltd offices in Johannesburg.
13. Robertson R., Fox J.J., and Martin A.E. Two types of diamond. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A232 (1934) 463-538
14. Robinson, D.N., 1979. Surface Textures and Other Features of diamonds. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Cape Town, 221pp.
15. Robinson D.N., Bowen D.C., Whitelock T.K., and McKenna N. Diamonds of Letšeng: the 4 Cs. Geoscience Africa 2004, Abstract Volume (2004), University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa 700-702
16. Skinner, E.M.W., Truswell, J.F., 2006. Kimberlites. In: Johnson, M.R., Anhaeusser, C.R., Thomas, R.J. (Eds.), The Geology of South Africa. Geological Society of South Africa, Johannesburg/Council for Geoscience, Pretoria, 651-659.
17. Van Wyk J.P., and Pienaar L.F. Diamondiferous gravels of the lower Orange River, Namaqualand. In: Annhauser C.R., and Maske S. (Eds). Mineral Deposits of southern Africa 2 (1986), Geological Society of South Africa 2309-2321
18. Whitelock T.K., Ward J.D., and Smith C.B. Letšeng kimberlite pipes, Lesotho: the highest diamond mine in the world re-opened. Geoscience Africa 2004, Abstract Volume (2004), University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa 704-706