Diamond Exploration Inc. (TSX-V:DIX) – formerly known as Patrician Diamonds – has discovered several boulders of kimberlite, often an indicator of the presence of diamonds, in central Ontario.

The Ottawa-based junior mining firm, which changed its name at the end of 2008 as part of a share consolidation exercise, said it has recovered kimberlite boulders from its Bridge River project, the first such discovery within the project area.

Diamond Exploration said it's found high proportions of chrome-rich, subcalcic or "G10" pyropes – a member of the garnet family of semiprecious minerals – within two of the three regions of the Bridge River project area, and added the pyropes' chemistry indicates they might have come from potentially diamond-bearing sources. The third area contains fewer G10 pyropes, the company noted.

"The results are deemed highly encouraging and provide strong support for ongoing exploration efforts," the company's statement read. "The company is excited by these positive results at this very early stage of exploration."

The company received the results following a short prospecting survey in November 2008 and recent microprobe tests on the kimberlite boulders.

In its previous guise, Diamond Exploration in August 2008 recovered six small diamonds from its Doctor Lake mine in the Northwest Territories. That discovery was the first significant diamond discovery since 2004, when the company said it had recovered five diamonds at its Baffin Island project.