Ekati Diamond Production Declines 5%
July 23, 08 by Edahn Golan
Diamond production by BHP Billiton totaled 864,000 carats in the June-ended quarter. This is a 5 percent decline year-over-year, but a 39 percent increase compared to the March quarter. A record volume of ore – 1.356 million tons – was processed during the quarter, the company said.
BHP noted that in the past year Ekati processed a higher proportion of higher value goods from Koala and Panda undergrounds compared to the year before. The multi-commodity miner holds an 80 percent stake in Ekati.
For the year ended June 30, production totaled 3.35 million carats, a
4 percent increase year-over-year.
Ekati is shifting from open pit mining to underground mining, which is affecting the ore mix. This may explain the decrease in quantities in process ore on an annual basis – 4.412 million tons compared to 4.539 million tons the year before.
The miner is continuing exploration on diamond targets in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
BHP reported annual production records in petroleum, copper, iron ore, manganese ore and alloy, alumina and molybdenum. Annual production also increased in crude oil and condensate, uranium, lead, zinc and silver.
Gold production totaled 38,424 ounces in the quarter, a 27 percent decline from 2007.
