Mining News: Northern Neighbors: Dominion mines 5.7M carats in 2014

Dominion Diamond Corp. Feb. 23 reported annual production results for the Ekati and Diavik diamond mines in Northwest Territories. For the year ending Jan. 31, the company’s Ekati mine produced 3.16 million carats of diamonds from 4.13 million metric tons of ore averaging 0.76 carats per metric ton, a marked improvement over the 1.66 million carats of diamonds from 3.36 million metric tons averaging 0.49 c/t for 2013. Dominion Diamond’s 40 percent share of the mine production at Diavik came to 2.82 million carats of diamonds from 902,000 metric tons of ore averaging 3.07 c/t, compared to 2.92 million carats from 863,000 metric tons of ore averaging 3.21 c/t diamonds in 2013. A subsidiary of Rio Tinto, Diavik Diamond Mines Inc., owns the remaining 60 percent and operates the high-grade diamond mine. At Jan. 31, Dominion had rough diamond inventory with an estimated market value of roughly US$270 million.

- Shane Lasley