The Importance of Kimberlite Geology in Diamond Deposit Evaluation : A Case Study from the DO27/DO18 Kimberlite, NWT, Canada

Diamonds formed during the Proterozoic and Archaean and are in-homogenously distributed in the mantle below Archaean cratons. Kimberlite magmas usually form well within the diamond stability field and physically incorporate seemingly random amounts of diamonds during their ascent through the mantle. The diamond content of a kimberlite magma arriving at the earth’s surface is defined by ascent processes. Once a pulse of magma arrives close to the earth’s surface, the diamond distribution within the resulting consolidated kimberlite depends on the final emplacement processes. Multiple pulses of kimberlite typically form a single body and each pulse has a different diamond content and emplacement history. Thus, the diamond distribution within single kimberlite bodies can be complex. The understanding of the geology and emplacement history of kimberlite bodies plays a critical role from early exploration through to mineral deposit evaluation, resource determination, deposit economics, mining and resource reconciliation.