(Ecofin Agency) - Firestone Diamonds, announced yesterday March 27, that it produced 379, 716 carats of diamonds on its Liqhobong mine in Lesotho, during the first half of the ongoing financial year that began in July 2017.

While specifying that the mine’s commercial production started last July 1, the company indicated that it has processed a total of 1.9 million of ore in the period under review and discovered a 134 carat light yellow gem, the largest diamond recovered to date. The operating cost per ton was estimated at $11.97.

“In our first six months of full scale production at Liqhobong, processing rates were above expectations, while costs continued to remain below our targeted levels,” said Stuart Brown, the CEO.

Furthermore, the company recorded, over the same period, $26 million as revenues and operations generated $8.8 million.

At the end of the year, Firestone expects the mine to produce between 800, 000 and 850, 000 carats of diamonds.