Diavik Mine to Increase Output by 14%

Toronto: Dominion Diamond Corporation forecast production at the Diavik mine in Canada will increase by up to 14 percent this year after output rose in 2016.

The miner projected rough-diamond recovery of 7.1 million to 7.6 million carats in 2017, with all mining taking place underground. Production increased 4 percent to 6.7 million carats in 2016, but was below the company's forecast due to wasted ore resulting from granite dropping off the walls of the open pit.

Dominion holds 40 percent of the Diavik mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories, meaning its share of production was 2.7 million carats. The remaining 4 million carats were allocated to Rio Tinto, which owns 60 percent of the mine.

Rio Tinto earlier said its total diamond production increased 4 percent to 18 million carats in 2016. This figures includes the company’s Argyle mine in Australia, which it owns outright.

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