RAPAPORT...  Shear Minerals and Stornoway Diamond completed minibulk sampling from the Notch kimberlite project at the Churchill mine in Nunavut, Canada, determining that the overall diamond recovery rate totaled 0.862 carats per ton (cpt), including 129 diamonds greater than 1.18 mm. Three of the largest stones to be recovered weighed 0.92, 0.81 and 0.77 carats, with the remaining two both clocking in at 0.63 carats.

"We are very pleased with the substantial increase in the 1.18-mm.-plus diamond grade of the Notch kimberlite in comparison to previous results and the presence of larger diamonds," said Shear's president, Pamela Strand. "Notch is the second kimberlite to be minibulk-sampled and return potentially economic grades at Churchill. This 14.87-carat parcel provides us with a more representative sample of the Notch diamond population that will be examined to determine the next steps in the continued evaluation of the Churchill diamond project."

The surface samples were originally collected via hand trenching along the Notch kimberlite dyke in October 2008. A smaller 3.9-ton sample gathered in February 2007 returned a 0.85-mm.-plus sample grade of 0.69 cpt.

Shear owns a 58 percent share of Churchill and Stornoway holds a 42 percent stake.

LH