KZN authorities confirm stones found in KwaHlathi are not real diamonds

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development Ravi Pillay on Sunday announced that the stones discovered in KwaHlathi near Ladysmith are not real diamonds.

Pillay, speaking at a media briefing, said a preliminary report revealed that the stones are quartz crystals.

“The tests conducted conclusively revealed that the stones discovered in the area are not diamonds as some had hoped,” Pillay said.

“In fact, what has been discovered are quartz crystals that are common across the Karoo Supergroup with an extensional facture planes within and along the contact of Karoo dolerite sill.”

PICS: These are the ‘diamonds’ being mined in KwaHlathi

The government had sent a team of geological and mining experts to the area to collect stones for analysis.

The team included the Department of Mineral Resources’ (DMRE’s) regional officials from KZN, the Council for Geoscience, South African Diamond and Precious Metals Regulator, and Mintek.

Thousands of people have been flocking to the outskirts of KwaHlathi village after a cattle herder last week unearthed a handful of unidentified crystal-like stones.

News of the finding spread fast, triggering a rush to the site despite messages of caution by the government warning the stones could be worthless.

Value of crystals to be determined

Pillay said the preliminary report showed that the area is geographically located on the edge of the Karoo dolerite sill, which is not in a zone where diamond occurrences are present.

“This was further confirmed by visual, geological and chemical analyses that were conducted,” the MEC said.

He said the value of the quartz crystals was yet to be established, adding that their value is very low compared to that of diamonds.

Quartz is a hard, crystalline mineral composed of silicon and oxygen atoms, according to Electronicsnotes.com.

Quartz crystals are used widely within the electronics industry to make oscillators for watches, clocks, radios, televisions, electronic games, computers, cell phones and other electronics.

Further studies to be conducted

KZN authorities said the Council for Geoscience was working with various stakeholders and it would institute a geological mapping programme to further understand any other potential resources that could advance socio-economic development in KwaHlathi.

Pillay said: “Extensive geoscience studies are required in the area, at a regional scale to investigate possibilities of groundwater resources as well as any other lithologies that may be host to other natural resources that may contribute to local development and the economy of the province.”

The MEC appealed to the people on-site to vacate the area due to concerns about the potential of spreading Covid-19.

“The illegal mining practices also have a negative impact on the environment and land degradation that has been accentuated by the extensive diggings in the area,” he said.

In videos and pictures that circulated on social media, community members could be seen celebrating the discovery of diamonds as they believe they have struck it rich.

South Africa, internationally renowned for its mineral wealth, still holds a record for the world’s largest-ever rough diamond discovery – the Cullinan – found in 1905 in the small mining town by the same name.

The country is also the birth place of the Kimberley Process, an international certification scheme to keep conflict diamonds off the market.

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala had called for calm in KwaHlathi, warning that the activities in the community were concerning as they could result in a stampede as people continued to flood the site.

A report on the findings by the Council for Geoscience and on the socio-economic challenges will be presented to the premier and the entire provincial executive council.

“This will be the basis for us to formulate a coordinated response to all the challenges. Part of the response will have to focus on the issue of road and access to water. We will also formulate a comprehensive plan to rehabilitate the site on which digging is taking place,” Pillay said.

KZN PREMIER CALLS FOR ORDER AMID REPORTS OF A “DIAMOND RUSH” IN KWAHLATHI NEAR LADYSMITH

The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has noted with concern, the reports of illegal mining activity taking place at KwaHlathi outside Ladysmith

Video : supplied #DiamondRush pic.twitter.com/zy1oyIhPQz

— KZN Provincial Gov (@kzngov) June 13, 2021

Additional reporting by AFP and Vhahangwele Nemakonde.