After all the sampling at the Venetia mine, our team had time to relax and do some sightseeing, which included interacting with elephants, lion cubs and a full grown cheetah. We spent two productive days at the Cullinan Diamond Mine, which has been operating for more than a century. This underground mine is nearly 1 km deep and we were able to see where they were currently mining. We also spent time sampling their mine wastes in an effort to determine the extent of CO2 mineralization at the mine. A very exciting experience and one that will lead to equally exciting research! Great thanks to our host, Anton, Francois, and all the mine staff for the opportunity, assistance, and hospitality.
Heading out to the tailings storage facility.