Argyle AK1 open pit

Argyle Diamond Mine

Rio Tinto’s Argyle diamond mine in Western Australia’s East Kimberley region is the world’s most prolific diamond mine by volume and the world’s main source of pink and red diamonds, yielding some 90% of all red and pink stones recovered annually. The Argyle mine also produces champagne, cognac, and blue diamonds.

 

Each year, the company holds an exclusive sale of the best pink diamonds recovered from the mine. The event is known as the Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender, and the diamonds for sale are exhibited in major diamond industry centers around the world prior to the auction.

 

The mine’s diamond bearing rock was first discovered in 1979. In 1983, the company began alluvial mining. The open-pit mine itself was commissioned in December 1985, making Argyle the first successful commercial diamond venture to mine lamproite rock rather than kimberlite.

 

The mine’s area extends over 450,000 square meters – 1,600 meters long by 150-600 meters wide. The deepest point of the open pit is 600 meters below ground.

 

Since the mine opened, it has produced over 750,000,000 carats of rough diamonds. The mine’s top production year was 1994, when it yielded 42 million carats. Today, the Argyle mine produces an average of 35 million carats a year – a third of the world’s diamond production. About 5% of Argyle diamonds are deemed gem-quality, considerably below the average of 20%.

 

In 2001, Argyle Diamonds realized that the open pit was approaching the end of its mine life and began conduction feasibility studies into a possible underground mine. In 2005, the Rio Tinto board of directors approved a plan to construct an underground mine, the development of which is underway and which is expected to extend the mine’s life until 2018.

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