Strong Results Continuing at Diavik, Says Dominion

(IDEX Online) – Dominion Diamond Corporation reports a continuing strong performance in the first calendar quarter of 2014 at the Diavik diamond mine.  

Diavik produced, on a 100 percent basis, 1.9 million carats from 600,000 tonnes of ore processed compared to 1.9 million carats from 500,000 tonnes of ore processed in the comparable quarter of the prior year. 

Processing volumes in the first calendar quarter of 2014 were 17 percent higher compared to the same quarter of the prior year as a result of continuing improvements in mining rates as the underground ramp up progressed to full production from all three kimberlite pipes. 

Carat production in the first quarter was four percent lower compared to the comparable quarter of the prior year, primarily as a result of mining and processing a greater proportion of the lower grade A-154 North ore.

The firm's mine plan for this year foresees Diavik production on a 100 percent basis of approximately 6.1 million carats from the mining and processing of approximately 1.9 million tonnes of ore.

Mining activities will be exclusively underground with approximately 700,000 tonnes expected to be sourced from A-154 North, approximately 400,000 tonnes from A-154 South and approximately 800,000 tonnes from the A-418 kimberlite pipes.

In addition to the 6.1 million carats produced from underground mining there will be production from coarse ore rejects (COR) and production from the improved recovery of small diamonds. This additional production is not included in the company's ore reserves, and is therefore incremental. Based on historical recovery rates, the tonnage of this material which is planned to be processed during calendar 2014 would have produced 600,000 carats from COR and 200,000 carats from the improved recovery process.