Canadian-based Shore Gold Inc. has announced an updated valuation of the diamond parcels from its Star and Orion South Kimberlites. The valuation shows a significant increase in rough diamond prices; prices were determined by WWW International Diamond Consultants Ltd.

The highest value stone, the 11.96 carat Type IIa from the Star Kimberlite, has gone up from $15,000 per carat in February to $18,000 per carat, making the entire stone valued at $215,190. Two other high-value stones came from large diameter drill holes in Orion South, including a 10.53-carat stone valued at $83,148 and a 4.26-carat stone valued at $20,800.

Parcel prices have increased in value by 31 to 46% since February. Model prices for the major kimberlite units of Star and Orion range between $172 per carat and $456 per carat.

Richard Wake Walker of WWW International Diamond Consultants cautioned that the dramatic increase in rough diamond prices cannot be sustained for the remainder of the year. He said the average high price was mainly a result of the coarse size frequency distribution (SFD) in the Cantuar unit in which 6% of the carats were valued at greater than 10 carats per stone.

Senior Vice President of Exploration and Development George Read expected to find stones larger than 100 carats in future production, due to the unusually coarse SFDs in both Star and Orion.