I e-mailed Info@afdiamonds at 10am today-

"Please would you inform us of when any likely news on recent sample analysis is due. As we understand from various RNS statements we are expected to hear by the end of this month (November) . Please clarify the situation."

Reply at 11.09am (pretty quick) (word for word with spelling mistakes!)

"Our men in Botswana are still in the process of analysising results and unfortunately it has taken a little longer then we anticipated. Are hands are tied till the results come through but we hope to be in a position to make a stock exchange announcement over the next few days."

there you go...

The Sunday Times - Business



December 07, 2003

Sharewatch: Diamonds could also be an investors best friend
Edited by Frank Fitzgibbon



KEEP an eye on African Diamonds, the John Teeling-backed exploration firm that listed on Londons Alternative Investment Market in July. Having floated at 7p (10c) on July 14, the mining stock has risen steadily since then and closed on Friday at 18.5p, an increase of 164%.
African Diamonds was founded by Leon Daniels and Mark Scowcroft, two geologists who worked for De Beers, the mining giant. They are seeking diamonds in Botswana, Sierre Leone and Guinea.



It expects to begin test mining for diamonds in Sierra Leone in January in an attempt to establish if its exploration licence in the Kono district of the country is commercially viable. Diamonds have been located on the site, the company just needs to establish if they are of a suitable grade to make it worthwhile taking them out of the ground.

Of more interest, however, are its activities in Botswana, which produces the worlds most valuable diamonds. The company is expected to announce shortly that it has been issued with a licence to develop its interests in the Orapa licence area. Orapa is seen as one of the prime locations for future diamond mining. Definitely a share for your Christmas stocking.




Travel

African Diamonds PLC
08 December 2003



8th December 2003



AFRICAN DIAMONDS DRILLING IDENTIFYS ANCIENT RIVER SYSTEM AND IS AWARD ADDITIONAL
PROSPECTING LICENCE IN ORAPA REGION


Serowe Alluvial Drilling


African Diamonds has completed a 38 hole drilling programme along 6 geophysical
lines on their Serowe licence some 100 kms South East of the Orapa diamond
field.


Preliminary results indicate that the anomalies identified are indeed part of an
ancient river system that may have drained Orapa.


Further detailed analysis of the recovered samples is underway seeking traces of
gravels that could be traced back to Orapa.



Orapa Kimberlite Drilling



Preliminary results are available from the first four of nineteen drill holes,
accounting for 40 tons out of 170 tones of chip samples on BK10, AK8, AK 9, and
AK12 kimberlite pipes on the Orapa prospecting licence 4/2002. The first stage
of diamond recovery involves processing the material through a 1 tonne per hour
jig plant in the field to concentrate heavy minerals, including diamond. The
heavy mineral concentrate will then be shipped to a facility in South Africa for
final diamond recovery using an X-ray sortex.



New Orapa Licence



African Diamonds has been awarded an additional prospecting licence over highly
prospective ground in the Orapa diamond field. Prospecting licence 7/2004 covers
999 sq kms and is contiguous with the northern and eastern boundaries of the
Orapa mine and completely surrounds the new Damtshaa mine both which are being
mined by Debswana, the De Beers and Botswana government joint venture.



John Teeling chairman commented, 'The discovery of ancient river channels under
the Kalahari sands is a vital step toward the discovery of the Orapa alluvials.
We will follow up these results with an analysis of the recovered drill
material.



We believe that the Orapa kimberlites will be viable to mine at 10 cpht or 1/15
of an oz per 100 tons. So far we have processed 25 tons out of 170 tones of
drill material. All of the indicators are present. The full analysis will take a
further 6 weeks. The follow up steps are to drill additional kimberlites on the
licence and / or to take a 5000 bulk sample most probably from BK10.



The award of the new licence in the Orapa area is wonderful news. It is another
step toward our goal of having a significant presence in one of the greatest
diamond provinces on earth. I hope to be able to respond within weeks on our
plans for the licence.'



Contacts:



African Diamonds Plc

John Teeling Tel: +353 87 2581178
Leon Daniels Tel: +267 24 40252


Redleaf Communications

Nick Lambert Tel: +44 (0) 7811 358 764

Rowan Dartington & Co. Limited

Barrie Newton Tel: +44 (0) 117 933 0011



www.afdiamonds.com
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange