This assessment is presented against the background of, and in the assumption that, the reader is familiar with previous reports on the Geology of Muirton and the results of three phases of drilling (set out by Robert Cooke Mineral Consultants, dated 29 October 1998), the results of a geomagnetic survey of the property (presented in a report by G.J. Greeff, dated February 1997) and an earlier Muirton Project Geological Report (by C.H.E. Visser dated 19 September 1996).

The surveys, the 48 boreholes listed by Cookes, and the many open cast excavations and pits made to examine the gravels in the area, represent a large amount of investigative work carried out over a number of years at some considerable cost. This effort culminated in the excavation of a "new quarry" to the west of an older quarry excavation at Muirton, based on geomagnetic data and results of a drilling program. Work in this larger, new quarry extended downwards into the gravel beds and reached a maximum depth of +/-20 metres in places. 81 284 tons of gravel were taken out and 620 carats of diamonds were recovered by the treatment plant which employed only one 14 foot rotary pan. Of these diamonds, a total of twelve were larger than 5 carats, varying in size from 5,3 to 70,8 carats. The diamonds were sold for R1 300 000 at an average price of R2 096 per carat.

Of the total of 620 carats, 205 carats of diamonds were recovered from 56 800 tons of the widely spread upper Terrace Deposits (most of which still lies untouched over an area of 100 000m²), and 415 carats were recovered from 24 484 tons of lower gravels taken out of a so-called "Deep Structure."

Although many diamonds are available for recovery from the upper Terrace Deposits, attention will be focused mainly on the lower gravels which are situated in the Deep Structure, which will henceforth be referred to as the "Muirton Porphyry Trench".