Diavik Produces 1.7 Million Carats in Third Quarter
October 16, 13
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The Diavik mine remains on track to produce full-year production of 7.3 million carats from approximately 1.9 million tonnes of ore and the processing of approximately 2.2 million tonnes of material from both mining and stockpiles.
"The third calendar quarter of 2013 saw continued strong performance at the Diavik diamond mine and the change and improvement seen in operational performance during early 2013 has continued," Dominion reported.
For the nine months ended September 30, Diavik produced 5.2 million carats from 1.6 million tonnes of ore processed compared to production of 5.3 million carats from 1.6 million tonnes of ore processed in the comparable period of 2012. The 3-percent decrease in carats recovered was primarily due to an increase in production from the higher value, lower grade A-154 North kimberlite pipe, Dominion said. The average grade of ore processed during the nine months ended September 30, 2013 including reprocessed plant rejects (RPR) was 3.28 carats per tonne compared with 3.35 carats per tonne in the comparable period of last year.
"Diavik's full-year target production expects mining activities will be exclusively underground with approximately 700,000 tonnes expected to be sourced from A-154 North, approximately 500,000 tonnes from A-154 South and approximately 700,000 tonnes from A-418 kimberlite pipes. Included in the estimated production for calendar 2013 is approximately 400,000 carats from RPR and 100,000 carats from the improved recovery process for small diamonds. These RPR and small diamond recoveries are not included in the company's reserves and resource statement and are therefore incremental to production."
Dominion has a 40-percent stake in the Diavik mine, while Rio Tinto owns the remainder.
Meanwhile, Dominion Diamond Ekati Corporation "is already demonstrating benefits and during the third quarter of 2013, the Ekati Diamond Mine achieved better than expected operational and production results, whilst maintaining the continued strong focus on health, safety and the environment". Dominion last year acquired BHP Billiton's 80-percent share in the Ekati operation.
During the third calendar quarter of 2013, the Ekati mine produced 400,000 carats from the processing of 900,000 tonnes of ore from the reserves. Activities through the calendar quarter continued to focus on ore production from the Fox open pit, and Koala and Koala North underground. The company also recovered 300,000 carats from the processing of 200,000 tonnes of coarse ore rejects and diamond bearing kimberlite excavated from a satellite body in the Misery open pit (referred to as Misery South & South West).
Dominion said it expects to mine 4.2 million tonnes from the mineral reserve through to the end of the calendar year, as compared to a target at the end of the second quarter of approximately 3.5 million tonnes from the mineral reserve and continues to expect to produce 1.0 million carats from the mineral reserves.
Total production since April 10, 2013 has already exceeded 1.0 million carats after giving effect to the production from material that is not included in the reserves. The majority of ore expected to be processed during the fourth quarter will be from the mineral reserve.
The current Life of mine plan for Ekati envisages mining until the end of 2019. During October, the company plans to file an application for the development of the Jay and Cardinal kimberlite pipes which have the potential to substantially increase the life of the Ekati mine.