Diavik Carat Recovery Down 25%
January 20, 15
(IDEX Online News) – Fourth quarter diamond recovery at the Diavik diamond mine dropped 25 percent compared to the previous year, reports Dominion Diamond Corporation.
The Diavik Underground Mine
(Image: Rio Tinto Diamonds)
The company said the drop was due to lower realized grades in all three ore bodies and a higher proportion of the lower grade A154 North ore being processed in the quarter compared to 2013.
In addition, processing volumes in the fourth calendar quarter were down 5 percent due to the improved processing rates in prior quarters fully exhausting the stockpiled ore by the third calendar quarter. As a result, only run of mine ore was processed in the fourth quarter.
Dominion and joint mine owner Rio Tinto plc have approved a new mine plan and budget for calendar 2015. This plan estimates the mining and processing of approximately 2.1 million tons with an expected production rate of 6.7 million carats.
Mining activities during the year will be exclusively underground with approximately 0.8 million tons expected to be sourced from A-154 North, approximately 0.4 million tons from A-154 South and approximately 0.9 million tons from A-418.
In addition, coarse ore rejects (COR) will also be processed. Based on historical recovery rates, processing COR will produce a further 0.3 million carats.
The Diavik diamond mine is owned by Dominion Diamond Corporation (40%) and Rio Tinto plc (60%).