StockMarketWire.com - Shares in Botswana Diamonds (LON:BOD) fell despite it revealing 'significant progress' in an update on operations in Cameroon, Botswana and Zimbabwe.

The company has been awarded a 430 sq km exploration licence in Cameroon and a bulk sampling programme to examine diamond potential will be undertaken in the coming months.

In Botswana, the prospecting licence no 04/2002 has been extended for 12 months and processing of samples from the AK8 and BK5 kimberlites is now complete.

Botswana Diamonds holds seven claims in the south-east Zimbabwe through a local subsidiary and some early, limited, sampling suggests that a grade of 10-15 cpht was achieved.

Chairman John Teeling said: "Significant progress has been made.

"Positive results from our initial work in Cameroon led us to apply for an exploration licence over the area where we have found the paleo-placer conglomerates.

"We plan to bulk sample late 2011.

"While we continue to apply for new ground in the Orapa area of Botswana the bulk sampling results on BK5 and AK8 were surprising and disappointing.

"Surprising in that we found no diamonds in BK5 and fewer, but bigger diamonds in AK8.

"We are re-examining the historical data and we are carrying out a thorough review of the AK9 kimberlite prior to a decision to bulk sample. Differences in results need an explanation.

"We believe that more mines will be found in the Orapa region.

"We have conducted a detailed review of the Orapa area and have applied for certain prospecting licences.

"In Zimbabwe, we are preparing to sample claims in the South East.

"The target is a hard rock kimberlite similar to the Murowa mine of Rio Tinto.

"We maintain a watching brief on the Marange area where we have a current application."

Central Rand Gold (LON:CRND) was another faller.

Earlier it confirmed it had responded in full to the South African Department of Mineral Resources in terms of a compliance notice received on 5 August.

DMR said it was considering re-evaluating the company's mining right as a result of certain elements of 'non-compliance' with Social Labour Plan requirements of its new order mining right.

This plan was based on its original 2008 operational plans submission which had envisaged a considerably larger resource base and operation.

On 24 August, a presentation was made by Central Rand Gold to the DMR, outlining how the company is rectifying these issues of 'non-compliance'.

Central Rand Gold is waiting for an official response from the DMR and continues to evaluate its submission.

The company has until 9 September to submit further documentation, if it feels that this is necessary.

And Anglo American (LON:AAL) was also down.

Earlier it announced that it will take part in the sale process initiated by Rio Tinto to dispose of both companies' interests in Palabora Mining Company.

Anglo American currently holds a 16.8% effective interest in Palabora while Rio Tinto holds 57.7%.

Palabora's principal asset is a copper mine in South Africa which also produces vermiculite and magnetite and, while studies are under way for a potential extension to the copper mine's life from 2016 to 2030, the operation is no longer of a sufficient scale to suit Anglo American's investment strategy.

Palabora owns a magnetite stockpile and the future value creation at Palabora is likely to involve the on-site processing and beneficiation of magnetite, an opportunity that Anglo American believes will be best developed under new ownership.

The sector's biggest riser was Namakwa Diamonds (LON:NAD) which confirmed it had considered a number of potential funding alternatives and remains in negotiations about a potential re-financing.

The company issued the statement after noting the recent rise in its share price.

Namakwa Diamonds said it will update the market in due course.

And shares in Condor Resources (LON:CNR) rose after it announced that it had completed a further 18 drill holes and 3285m of drilling.

A total of 57 drill holes for 8445m have been drilled so far this year out of a 20,000m drill programme.

Drilling on La India Vein has confirmed the presence of the parallel California Vein with 3.4m at 3.24g/t gold from 175.5m only 75m from the La India Vein.

Drilling on Arizona Vein returned a high grade intercept of 6.3m at 3.65g/t gold from 158.5m including 2.1m at 7.99g/t gold from 162.7m below the old workings.

At TACA Veins the company has returned narrow high grade up to 0.6m at 5.23g/t gold & from 66.8m. Further drilling is required to ascertain whether these represent the edges of high grade shoots.

A high grade intercept was found at San Lucas-Capulin Vein. It was 4.5m at 3.82g/t Au from 42m including 0.65m at 19.5g/t Au from 45.85m.

Executive chairman and CEO Mark Child said: "Confirmation of the California Vein running parallel and only 75m from the main La India Vein is significant as it lends weight to the theory that there are a series of parallel veins in the main La India valley that don't outcrop at surface."