FRANK SMITH
Mine Background
The kimberlitic surface exposure of the Frank Smith complex was the largest in South Africa, not controlled by the De Beers Group at one time during the mine's history.
The Frank Smith kimberlite has been dated at approximately 114 million years, and is considered being on the same structure as the Newlands fissure and its four associated blows located 15km to the southwest. The Frank Smith kimberlite comprises of two pipes connected by a dyke-like body, as illustrated in the diagram below. The pipes are respectively known as the Frank Smith pipe (to the northeast) and the Weltevreden pipe (to the southwest). The kimberlite dyke connecting the two pipes is known as the Windsor Block.
Frank Smith uniquely contains both Group I basaltic kimberlites and Group II micaceous kimberlites. Based on previous exploration activities, it has been suggested that Frank Smith has excellent prospecting potential owing to a number of known kimberlite-bearing fissures in the sidewalls of the Frank Smith Pipe which are encountered on various mining levels. Frank Smith has historically been reported to deliver a recovered grade of 7.0cpht from underground kimberlite facies.
Frank Smith has a long history of underground and surface tailings production which inspires confidence with respect to the ability of the regional infrastructure and services to support this mine. Its close proximity to Kimberley (see locality map), an important mining centre for services and regional infrastructure related to diamond mining, has been beneficial to its development.
The last processing of tailings ore by the previous owner was recorded to be in 2003. The site is currently occupied under agreement with SSC Diamond's SA mining subsidiary by a contractor, and the contractor's diamond pan processing plant has been reprocessing tailings under contract since December 2010.
Frank Smith had a varied ownership history from discovery towards the end of the 19th century until the middle of the 20th century when the Versluis Family bought out the many owners and consolidated 100% of the claims in 1959. The known details of the ownership are summarised in the table below, together with its historic production as consolidated by Competent Person Venmyn Deloitte in 2013.
The Frank Smith Diamond Mine is situated 65km north-northwest of Kimberley on the farm Frank Smith No HV37, Barkly West District, Northern Cape Province of South Africa. The mine can be accessed via a dirt road (approx. 15km on the R371) which is connected to the regional tarred R374 and R31.
Discovered in 1892, the mine has a new order mining right of over 216 hectares and an estimated resource of 11.3 million tonnes of kimberlite ore including 4.88 million tonnes of tailings ore. The Frank Smith kimberlite pipe covers an area of 5.6 hectares at the surface.
