Gem Diamonds has obtained a mining license to explore the Gope diamond deposit located in the Central Kalahari game reserve in Botswana. The awarding of the license has brought about a sharp reaction from environmentalists such as Survival International.
The permit approval was announced on the company website saying that it was granted the mining license for a period of 25 years. The Chief Executive Officer Clifford Elphick said that it was the first step towards the development of the Gope deposit into a viable producing mine and is in line with Gem Diamonds' stated strategy of providing a platform for sustainable growth for the Group through the development of its existing assets.
Gem diamonds hopes to have a phased approach to the construction of the mine. They are keen on an underground mine that will improve the company’s knowledge of the ore body, diamond valuation and metallurgical characteristics of the deposit.
Director of Survival International Stephen Corry, has condemned the according of the permit saying that it would be laughable if it weren’t tragic. He also said that the company’s claims that the Bushmen had given their consent to the mine in the Environmental Impact Assessment were incorrect.