Sunrise Res Regulatory News (SRES)

31 Jan 2006 11:45

Sunrise Diamonds PLC31 January 2006 www.sunrisediamonds.com 31 January 2006 AGM Statement -Highlights SUNRISE GAINS EARLY BENEFIT FROM ACQUISITION OF FINLAND DIAMOND DATABASE & REPORTS ANOTHER MICRODIAMOND IN KUUSAMO KIMBERLITE • Prospective New Areas Identified: Claims Now Being Submitted • Follow-Up Includes Targets With Micro-And Macro-Diamonds In Till Samples • Check Sampling Returns Micro-Diamond From Kattaisenvaara Kimberlite Sunrise Diamonds plc ("Sunrise Diamonds" or the "Company") is pleased to reportat its AGM today that its diamond exploration programme in Finland is alreadyreaping the benefit of last months acquisition of BHP Billiton's diamondexploration database. After spending an initial period with BHP Billiton staff and other diamondspecialists checking the data integrity, the Company has incorporated the BHPBilliton data into a countrywide Geographical Information System (GIS) togetherwith its own existing data. Numerous unresolved trains of kimberlite indicator minerals in glacial sedimentshave been identified from a preliminary review of the data. These include G10garnets, and in two particular cases, micro- and macro-diamonds are reported inareas where the bedrock source does not appear to have been identified. "Work to-date has created what we believe is probably the most comprehensivediamond exploration data resource currently in use in Finland today. The newtarget areas occur throughout the diamond prospective area in Finland, not justin the vicinity of our existing Kuusamo kimberlite cluster" said the Company'sChairman, Patrick Cheetham speaking at today's AGM. As a result, the Company is now applying for claims and claim reservations toallow these leads to be followed up. Check sampling of original Kuusamo discovery yields further micro-diamond Small samples of the original Kuusamo discoveries at Kalettomanpuro andKattaisenvaara were previously barren of micro-diamonds based on independentcaustic dissolution analysis. However, as part of the Company's check qualitycontrol procedures, the dissolution concentrates from these original sampleswere re-submitted to a second independent laboratory - the Kennecott mineralsprocessing laboratory in Thunder Bay, Canada. As a result, a micro-diamond fragment was recovered from an original sample ofthe Kattaisenvaara kimberlite. The original sample, before dissolution, weighed27.5kg and the micro-diamond fragment is white and transparent with a long axisof 0.33mm. "This is an extremely encouraging result as it shows that more than one of thesix kimberlites so far discovered at Kuusamo is diamondiferous." said MrCheetham. "It obviously increases the prospectivity of the area". Further information: Patrick Cheetham, Sunrise Diamonds plc. Tel: +44 (0)1625-505947. Mobile: +44(0)7767 458751Ron Marshman/John Greenhalgh, City of London PR Limited. Tel: +44(0)20-7628-5518 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange