Rio Tinto reported a 28% year-on-year decline in diamond production at its Diavik deposit in Canada during the second quarter. The decrease, down to 702,000 carats for the quarter ending June 30, was attributed to a temporary halt in operations following a tragic plane crash that claimed the lives of several workers earlier this year. This pause allowed employees time to mourn the loss.
This output figure also marks a 5% drop from the 740,000 carats recovered in the first quarter, which was similarly affected by the operational pause. Additionally, the exhaustion of a section of the Diavik open pit contributed to the decline in production, according to Rio Tinto.
For the first half of the year, diamond production decreased by 25% year-on-year to 1.4 million carats, with 705,000 tonnes of ore processed, compared to 873,000 tonnes in the same period last year.
Recently, Rio Tinto temporarily closed one of Diavik’s primary pits due to unstable ground caused by subsidence, which poses safety risks due to potential gradual land sinking. The duration of this closure and its impact on future production remains uncertain.
Diavik represents Rio Tinto’s sole remaining diamond asset following the closure of its Argyle mine in Australia in 2020 and the sale of its interest in the Fort à la Corne diamond project last year. Originally slated for completion in 2025, Rio Tinto invested $40 million to extend Diavik’s operations until 2026, boosting projected rough diamond production by over 2 million carats.
The company has not yet provided a production forecast for the remainder of the year.
