Rio Tinto has unearthed one of the largest gem-quality yellow diamonds ever discovered.
The 158.20 carat rough diamond was discovered at the major’s Diavik diamond mine, located 200km south of the Arctic Circle in the remote Northwest Territories of Canada.
It is one of only five yellow diamonds weighing more than 100 carats ever unearthed at Diavik in its 22-year history.
Diavik’s production primarily consists of white gem quality diamonds, with less than one percent of its production yielding rare yellow diamonds.
Diavik chief operating officer Matt Breen celebrated the discovery.
“This two billion year old natural Canadian diamond is a miracle of nature and testament to the skill and fortitude of all the men and women who work in Diavik’s challenging sub-Arctic environment,” Breen said.
Operating since 2003, Diavik comprises four diamond-bearing pipes that Rio mines using a combination of open pit and underground mining.
Diavik’s fourth diamond pipe is known as A21. The ore body has been pivotal to extending the mine’s life and maximising the available mineral resource, which is currently expecting to come to a close at the start of next year.
Rio said the Diavik mine is committed to operating sustainably, with renewable energy an important part of this off grid operation.
From 2012, the site has operated a hybrid wind-diesel power facility and in 2024 Diavik completed construction of a solar power plant.
Since it was installed in 2012, the plant has generated 191 million kWh, saved 118,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions and saved the equivalent of 43.4 million litres of diesel fuel.
Rio is also constructing what is said will be the largest solar panel project in Canada’s north. The plant will generate 4.2 million kilowatt-hours of carbon-free electricity each year from over 6600 solar panels.
