LLD DIAMONDS – NUMW – PROPOSAL
The National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW,) the umbrella body for the Mine Workers Union of Namibia (MUN,) has submitted a proposal to reconcile differences between Lev Leviev Diamonds (LLD Namibia) and the 222 workers the company recently dismissed, RAPAPORT reported.
LLD earlier this month fired the workers who had taken-up the picket line in protest of what they claimed was unpleasant treatment by management, amongst other grievances.
According to New Era, NUNW offered a new proposal to LLD management nearly one week ago Wednesday to “start afresh on the path of recovery” between the company and the mine workers union.
Under the proposal, New Era explained, NUNW secretary general Evilastus Kaaronda asked for amnesty for the fired workers, make some commitments and undertakings by the union to break the standoff while raising concern to the LLD management about the issue of senior manager Mike Nesongano, salary reduction, overtime payment, appraisal and promotions, tariffs per carat and the strike and status of employees.
NUNW cited a lack of communication and misunderstanding between the workers and the company as a major contributing factor to the unrest, and said it would play its part in training its members on matters relating to company policy, recognition agreements, the Labor Act and all relevant instruments.
LLD has yet to respond to the proposal but will do so soon, Kapwanga said in the report.

TAHERA – TRUST – COURT ORDER
Tahera Diamond Corp. was ordered to set aside C$2 million in a trust to pay certain for goods and services provided to the company prior to January 16, 2008, when it received court protection from its creditors, Polishedprices.com reported.
"On July 18, 2008, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice issued an order whereby an amount of $2,000,000 was set aside into a trust account for the benefit of certain parties who are lien claimants under the Miners Lien Act in effect in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut in connection with goods and services provided to Tahera prior to January 16, 2008," Tahera said in a statement.
The Toronto-based company filed for bankruptcy protection after experiencing operational problems and rising costs at its Jericho mine in Nunavut in the Northwest Territories

MOTAPA DIAMONDS – BULK SAMPLE – MOTHAE
Motapa Diamonds and its partner Lucara Diamond Corp. have confirmed that Phase 1 of the bulk sample program has been completed, Israelidiamond.co.il reported. 1,296 diamonds weighing a total of 585.15 carats were produced from 25,552 dry tons of kimberlite. The average grade was 2.29 carats per hundred tons.
An audit of diamond recovery tailings is currently underway using the continuous grease belt and an x-ray recovery system.
The initial phase of sampling was aimed to determine if diamonds in the Mothae kimberlite were of sufficiently coarse size to justify continued sampling to recover a diamond parcel for valuation purposes. The companies report that the objective has been achieved and the results are positive.
Recovered diamonds reportedly have a very coarse size distribution, reflected in a large average stone size and also in a high relative frequency of larger stones. Frequencies in the 5 to 10 carat size stone range were noted to be considerably higher than those of typical diamond production from other economic kimberlites. They are in fact very similar to those found in production parcels at the nearby productive Letseng diamond mine.
Motapa's CEO, Dr. Larry Ott, noted: “We are excited with the outcome of this first phase of sampling. The coarse diamond size distribution and positive value characteristics indicate that Mothae has significant economic potential. At this early stage of sampling, we view the results to be very encouraging."

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