Luanda: Lucapa Diamond has recovered 14 more “special” diamonds, including a 74.5 carat stone, from ongoing mining and treatment at Block 8 on the Lulo diamond project in Angola.

All diamonds were greater than 10.8 carats, while the 74.5 carat diamond was confirmed as Type IIa D-colour stone and the fourth biggest stone recovered to date at Lulo, the company said in a statement to investors.

“Mining Block 8 is not only providing a regular flow of large and valuable diamonds, it is also providing our geological team with important signs in our quest to locate the primary kimberlite source of these exceptional alluvial stones,” said Lucapa chief executive Stephen Wetherall.

“It is for that reason the L259 kimberlite we have identified immediately adjacent to Mining Block 8 will remain the high-priority focus of what is a systematic kimberlite exploration programme.”

Lucapa said the latest recoveries bring to 45 the total number of “special” diamonds recovered from Mining Block 8 since alluvial mining started in the area last August. The average stone size of diamonds recovered from Mining Block 8 was 1.6 carats per stone. Diamonds sold to date from the block had achieved overall selling prices of about A$4500 per carat.