Section 2 of the A21 underground mission was accredited earlier this yr with a further funding of US$17 million.
Section one beneath A21 is slated to supply an additional 1.4 million carats, with part two including one other 800,000 carats.
The development of the A21 underground mine concerned the event of over 1,800 metres of underground tunnels to entry the orebody and start underground manufacturing.
Rio stated there have been no misplaced time accidents after greater than 100,000 labour hours accomplished over 20 months throughout the growth and development work.
“The A21 underground operation is optimistic information for our workers, companions, suppliers and native communities within the Northwest Territories, as it’s going to allow operations to proceed by way of to closure,” Diavik mine chief working officer of Matt Breen stated within the assertion.
“Rio Tinto’s resolution to proceed with Section 2 is a testomony to the wonderful efficiency of our Diavik workforce in efficiently creating the underground mine beneath the beforehand mined A21 open pit,” Breen stated, including that the corporate is continuous its funding in making ready for the closure and remediation of Diavik mine web site, specializing in progressive reclamation actions comparable to earthworks, web site clean-up, and tools procurement.
Diavik, 100% owned and operated by Rio Tinto, is certainly one of Canada’s largest diamond mines when it comes to quantity of tough diamonds, having produced over 144 million carats of tough diamonds since mining started in 2003.