Ever Hold a 22ct. Diamond in Your Hand?

[M.D. Holloway]

Just spent a few days above 65 latitude at the Tahera Diamonds Jericho Project mine camp. It took a few days to get up there - pretty remote. The ice roads have melted way to early so the only way in is by air. The tundra is way to rough and there are a zillion lakes and ponds.

I was granted the amazing opportunity to not only work to increase their equipment reliability and improve their fuel consumption but to get a first hand look at their operation. They actually gave me the incredible privilege to hold one of their diamonds – an uncut 22ct. number that was estimated to be worth at least $10,000 in its rough state. DeBeers visits them very often to either agree or disagree with their graders. They pull about 28,000ct.s a month out of this pipe. The biggest diamond they have gotten so far is over 60cts worth more than $100,000.

BTW – the security is pretty serious. In fact, I signed a form that gave them the right to actually open me up surgically to look for any rocks. Cavity searches are passé!

[M.D. Holloway]

A few more...

[Joeaksa]

Mike,

Glad you made it up and back ok. What was the weather like this time of year? Surprised that the snow has melted this early.

The nugget in your hand brings back memories. Guy I went to high school with lives in Alaska and is a gold miner in his part time. Comes to the reunions with handfull's of nuggets like the one you have along with loads of stories.

Joe

[M.D. Holloway]

It was un-seasonably warm, about 65F and there is the problem. They have to get fuel flown in on Buffalo aircraft. The ice roads have melted. That is why I was there. I think we can get a 7% increase on fuel economy – we’ve committed to them a 5% increase (I’z be sandbag’n).

Here is a pic of me at about 10:30PM, a shot of my watch at midnight and for you JoeA, a shot of my “taxi cab driver.” Great guys.

[Joeaksa]

Great pictures and would love to get up there sometime.

Have any pictures of the outside of the bird? Did you fly a Buffalo in to the camp?

Joe

[notfarnow]

Great pics! I was as far north as Dawson city, Yukon a few years ago. Not quite as dramatic.

My mother taught in Inuvik for two years, about the same latitude. She found the 24hr daylight in the summer harder to deal with than the 24 hr darkness in the winter.

At one point, she was training supply teachers in remote communities. They'd fly her into remote communities of 200 people where the "taxi" was a snowmobile.

[Christien]

Now THAT's the great white north! Us "southerners" make reference to going up "north" a few hours north of hogtown, but that's the real thing!

[pwd72s]

Thanks...before these pics, I had no ida what an uncut diamond looked like.

[glenncal1]

There is actually a Diamond mine on the Colorado Wyoming border, I don't think it is operational at this time. I plan to take my dirtbike up to the area this summer and just explore around a bit. There are a few diamond bearing pipes in the area.

[scottmandue]

Nice shirt!

[pwd72s]

Originally posted by scottmandue
Nice shirt!

I had to chuckle at that...remember all the survival/cold weatherclothing being suggested before the trip?

[Jims5543]

Very cool, I love reading about different places. Thanks for the pics. Good luck!!

[red-beard]

I was the one to suggest checking the weather first...

[M.D. Holloway]

A few things a noticed about the mining camp I stayed at:

They eat real well – and a lot! The cafeteria is always open for drinks, fresh fruit and snacks. Meals are served hot and carbo loaded.

They use sweet and condensed milk in their coffee. Ya that will bulk you up quick!
The café, bunk house, bathrooms and offices are immaculate. I was expecting the place to be, well, a mine. It is on the outside but it is more sanitary than a hospital on the inside. The miners take pride in their home.

There is no alcohol allowed on site and smoking only in a designated room.
The miners were perhaps the nicest guys I have ever met in any industry. They work two weeks in and go home for two weeks. They can get stranded for several weeks on end in the winter where temperatures can get to 80 below 0F without calculating in wind-chill! The snow drifts can be 30 feet high.

The summer months are warm, peaking out around 70F with 24hour sunlight.
There are very little examples of visible wildlife. The tundra soil is teaming with microbes though there are no trees or shrubs. The millions of ponds, lakes and tributaries are the home of countless numbers of fish, Lake Trout, Pickerel and Pike. It is very common to land a 30lb Lake trout on your first cast. There are Grey and Artic Wolves, Grizzly Bears, large Jack Rabbits and Caribou as well as Wolverines but I didn’t see any. I did see Seagulls and even a Robin. He must have been lost.

Satellite service allows for internet access and phone service as well as TV.
There is always seems to be a game of Texas Hold’m going on. Buy in is $50. I think they just end up trading money after a few days – nobody seemed to stand out as a champ.

They do have Pool tables, Foosball and Air Hockey. Again, they all played well; then again there is not much else to do. There was a weight room with great equipment. It had a wide screen playing so the guys mostly watch TV and forego working out, yet the majority all appeared to be in great shape despite the 10,000 calorie diet.

Lastly the trust level is incredible. The bedrooms in the bunkhouses do not lock from the outside. It wouldn’t matter, these guys are ultra cool and I would trust them with my life. I will guarantee that I could have left my wallet, passport and $300 US in the hallway and it would remain untouched for the 5 days.

I asked if anyone ever tried to lift a diamond and I was told that if they even suspected it that they would fly you into Yellowknife and slice you open. For real!

[M.D. Holloway]

Here are a few shots of Yellowknife. Those houses in the water are actually house boats! They just float around the bay (Great Slave Lake). They have water bubblers in the winter so the ice doesn't freeze. I guess they don't pay any taxes either. Check out the plane - pretty cool.

[M.D. Holloway]

Here is a pile of Kimberlite after it was crushed, it them gets sorted and crushed some more and sorted again.

Check out the cool stones in hand. The red ones are Garnets and the green...I forget what the green ones are but they look cool. They tell me they get Saphires as well. You can even spot a Diamond or two in this pile.

There are sevreal steps to the process which I am not allowed to discuss. Check out the try of Diamonds! That tray was the size of a cafeteria tray.

[M.D. Holloway]

Joe,
Here is pic of the plane. I think it was a Beechcraft Catpusher? Does that sound right? They get supplies in on a Buffalo or the Russian MC-24 helo (I think that is the right designation - it is a huge Russian helo). The runway isn't long enough for a Herch or a C-4 from what they told me. I guess they tried to get an extention on the runway but the $$$ to the First Nation was rediculous plus they never thought the ice road would melt as soon as it did - global warming first hand!

[M.D. Holloway]

oh ya, I think I posted this about 6 months ago. As a stock tip, look at Tahera Diamond - stock is in the Canadian exchange.

When I first posted they were raising capital and the stock was $0.48/share, it is now at $2.23/share. Mark my words guys this one is going to grow quick. Without going into any details, it will grow! Bank on it.

[M.D. Holloway]

So info:

Tahera Diamond Corporation


Stock Symbol: TAH


Listed and traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange


Tahera aspires to be a leading Canadian-owned explorer, developer, and diamond mine operator


Wholly-owned Jericho diamond mine (160 km. N. of Ekati/Diavik) - forecast to attain commercial production during second quarter 2006


Preliminary Assessment report (Oct. 2004) contemplates production of 5.5 mt @ 0.85 ct/t

+500,000 carats per annum, 4.7 mm carats over life of mine

Diamond marketing alliance with Tiffany & Co.

Robust outlook for rough diamond market; compelling supply/demand trends indicating growing demand and tight supply source

Exploration is focused on increasing Jericho area reserves, and developing other prospective projects

Exploration alliance with De Beers on prospective landholding adjacent to the Jericho property

2006 exploration activities are focused on assessing economic potential of Muskox kimberlite (De Beers JV)

Excellent share trading liquidity: shares issued = 154 mm, fully diluted = 167 mm

Experienced management and board

Dividend payments: To date, Tahera has not paid dividends and does not currently intend to pay dividends. The credit facility with Tiffany contains restrictions on the ability of Tahera to pay dividends.

[dd74]

Yes, global warming was the first thing to come to mind when you mentioned the melting.

Very, very cool thread, Mike. 24-hour daylight must be crazy. When I was in Anchorage one September, the sun didn't go down 'til about 11PM or so.

So how, exactly, are diamonds found? Are they cut out of rock or dug out of earth?

Were you selling them fuel or oil supplies, and how would they use your product?

I bet the employess in the diamond mine make fairly good money.