Reports of Diamonds found near Ladysmith (KZN)

During the past week, several press reports have covered the purported discovery of diamonds near Ladysmith in KwaZulu Natal.  This has created a great deal of local excitement, and by all accounts, a ‘mini-diamond rush’ seems to have been instigated.  The site has been visited by representatives from the Council for Geoscience (CGS) and the Department of Mineral and Energy.  The GSSA has not visited the site or examined samples but has followed the media reports.  Photographs on social media supposedly of the recovered material appear to be of quartz crystals and not diamond, including one photograph of what is clearly a quartz lined geode.  Though posts on social media do not constitute conclusive evidence, the GSSA has seen no evidence that this is actually a diamond discovery.  We await the assessment from the CGS.

The GSSA has been contacted by a number of press agencies, which have been informed as per above