by eyetee | May 2, 2013 6:25 pm
Rio Tinto has opened the underground diamond mine at Argyle, extending its life until at least 2020.
“I am proud we can continue our contribution to local employment and the economic development of the East Kimberley region, as we have over the past quarter of a century,” said Rio Tinto diamonds and minerals chief executive, Alan Davies.
The $2.2-billion US underground mine will average an expected 20 million carats per year, using the latest in block caving technology.
Seventy per cent of the workforce lives locally, making the mine one of the largest contributors to the East Kimberley economy. Indigenous Australians account for 25 per cent of the local workforce.
“The Argyle Diamond Mine is a world-class resource that has been strongly supported by Rio Tinto since exploration began in the 1970s,” said Argyle Diamond Mine managing director, Kim Truter.
“A new chapter begins at Argyle and I am proud to acknowledge the many men and women who have contributed to the discovery and development of the mine and the production of some of the best diamonds the world as ever seen,” he said.
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