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by Will Purcell

The diamond and specialty minerals stocks box score for Tuesday was a downward 47-60-158. The TSX Venture Exchange fell five points to 975 while polished diamond prices were flat. Arnold Kondrat's Delrand Resources Ltd. (DRN) jumped 34 cents to 90 cents on 37,000 shares and word that it plans to acquire VoiceTrust Holding Inc., a private, Toronto-based "global provider of voice biometric solutions." Delrand will sell its Congo-based diamond properties that provided nothing but problems. Richard Clark's RB Energy Inc. (RBI) continued to hemorrhage today, falling 7.5 cents to 22 cents on 14.42 million shares. RB, facing continuing problems at its lithium mine near Val d'Or, plans an $88-million convertible debenture offering. A recent audit found no "fatal flaws" but the company's stock chart suggests the mine needs intensive care.

Nicholas Houghton's True North Gems Inc. (TGX) closed unchanged at 10.5 cents on 221,000 shares. Mr. Houghton has another $11-million for his little Aappaluttoq ruby and sapphire mine on the west coast of Greenland. The new cash comes from the same backer, Leonhard, Nilsen and Sonner AS (LNS), which agreed two years ago to provide $23-million for infrastructure in exchange for a 20-per-cent interest in the project. The new investment includes $3-million that will boost its direct interest in the project to 27 per cent. LNS will also buy 28.6 million True North shares at 10.5 cents, giving it over 10 per cent of the company's stock. As well, LNS will provide a $5-million loan. Frode Nilsen, head of LNS, said he "followed the project closely" and jumped when the opportunity arose to increase his company's ownership of Aappaluttoq. He could have jumped sooner had he paid closer attention. Mr. Houghton had a tentative deal through which Australian mining financier, Joseph Gutnick, would buy $15-million worth of True North's stock at nine cents. He backed out of the deal last summer after investing just $3-million and Mr. Houghton had been searching frantically for a new backer for the past year.

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