Mining Challenges Impact Rio Tinto Output

Diamond production at Rio Tinto fell in the third quarter as subsidence found at the company’s Diavik mine in Canada closed the site temporarily. 

Output from the mine fell 28% year on year to 542,000 carats for the three months ending September 30, Rio Tinto said last week. The company was forced to shut down one of its main pits, the A154 underground region, in July after it was made aware of unstable ground at the road leading to the area, which can cause caving or sinking, making it unsafe. 

The total was also 23% lower than the 702,000 carats Rio Tinto recovered in the second quarter. In the first nine months of the year, production slid 26% year on year to 2 million carats from the processing of 937,000 tonnes of ore. That compares to 1.3 million tonnes in the first nine months of 2023. 

During the quarter, Rio Tinto completed the development and construction of the first phase of underground mining at its A21 region and moved into commercial production from the area. The company expects to complete the second phase before 2026, it said. 

Diavik is currently Rio Tinto’s only diamond asset. The mine was originally due to be completed in 2025. However, the miner invested $40 million to extend the project’s life into 2026, adding more than 2 million carats of rough production. 

Rio Tinto has not provided an outlook for its diamond unit for the full year.

Image: The Diavik Diamond mine. (Rio Tinto)