BOTSWANA diamond mine, Lerala, sold for $8.1m in an online auction after liquidators failed to secure viable offers through conventional bids, said Bloomberg News.
Lerala, which is owned by Sydney-based Kimberley Diamonds, was placed under judicial management in June last year due to weak sales and high operating costs.
“I can confirm the winning bid was $8.12m but beyond that I cannot comment on the identity of the bidder nor any other information, until the liquidator gives me the go ahead,” John Taylor, an associate director at auctioneers GoIndustry DoveBid South Africa, told Bloomberg News by phone.
The mine has probable reserves of five million tonnes at a grade of 31 carats per 100 tonnes and inferred resources of 10.3 million tonnes at 31 carats per 100 tonnes, said Bloomberg News in its report.
