Perth, February 21, 2012 – Australia’s biggest pink rough diamond has been discovered at Rio Tinto’s Argyle mine, the world’s largest producer of rare pink diamonds.
The 12.76 carat diamond was unearthed at the Argyle open pit in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia.
The diamond will be known as The Argyle Pink Jubilee.
The Argyle Pink Jubilee is a light pink diamond, similar in colour to The Williamson Pink, which is the diamond that Her Majesty The Queen received as a wedding gift and was subsequently set into a brooch for her Coronation.
Expert diamond polisher Richard How Kim Kam, who has worked for Argyle for 25 years, started work on polishing the amazing pink diamond in Perth today.
After two months of careful assessment and planning, it will take about 10 days to cut and polish the diamond as a single stone. Richard said “I’m going to take it very carefully. I know the world will be watching.”
When the diamond has been cut and polished it will be graded by a team of international experts and showcased to the world before being sold as part of the iconic Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender later this year.
Argyle Pink Diamonds Manager Josephine Johnson said “This rare diamond is generating incredible excitement. A diamond of this calibre is unprecedented – it has taken 26 years of Argyle production to unearth this stone and we may never see one like this again. The individual who gets to wear this remarkable pink diamond will be incredibly lucky indeed.”
More than 90 per cent of the world’s pink diamonds come from the Argyle mine.
Large pink diamonds tend to go to museums, are gifted to royalty or end up at auction houses like Christie’s auctions. Christie’s has only auctioned 18 polished pink diamonds over 10 carats in its 244 year history.
About Rio Tinto
Rio Tinto is a leading international mining group headquartered in the UK, combining Rio Tinto plc, a London and New York Stock Exchange listed company, and Rio Tinto Limited, which is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.
Rio Tinto’s business is finding, mining, and processing mineral resources. Major products are aluminium, copper, diamonds, thermal and metallurgical coal, uranium, gold, industrial minerals (borax, titanium dioxide and salt) and iron ore. Activities span the world and are strongly represented in Australia and North America with significant businesses in Asia, Europe, Africa and South America.
Image from WorldNewsAustralia
8 Comments
Ian McEnhill
Yes insignificant really when one considers that 3106 carat Star of Africa discovered at the Premier Mine in Cullinan, South Africa and which now constitutes part of the Crown Jewels. This Argyle diamond is no better than a piece of rose-quartz in comparison 🙂 !
Pepe
Mr. Ian McEnhill must be a very wealthy man to call such a beautiful stone “a piece of rose-quartz”. I´ll take this “piece of rose-quartz” anytime. Actually this is not a typical behaviour of wealthy people. I guess that is probably one reason why wealthy people are wealthy…
Trevor
I agee to a point with the rose quartz statement, as Diamonds aren’t rare!
The market is very cleverly managed, by whom I would rather not say, however it would be next to impossible to put a piece of Rose Quarts on every woman’s finger, however you can supply diamonds!,,,,,!
Heath2up
Sounds like he maybe a South African who doesn”t want a bigger diamond found or be recognised as good as the one found in South Africa. Maybe he feels himself a little insignificant in the world. Crown jewels who cares different diamond.
diamond district
Big or small, any diamond coming from the Argyle mines is marvel.
Charles Dare
@Pepe I agree maybe his to 2up advice is of more signifigance~ kinda childish also the other knocker wet blanket too I note likes the big germs of Zimbarwe.. Sanctions against Mumgarbi are for a reason his cronnies have ruined a country committed alsorts of theft as well as murder torture shame it was Gaddafi that got it instead of the wealthy elite criminals of that regiem.Rio Tinto is not a liked Company in Australia ..Stern Whu..They are Pommie bastards that sell out Australians then do dirty African deals with the Chinese..I hope the aboriginal Australians take back their lease so suck it kiddies..Ian and zvinhu_zviedzwa your lunch bell will ring soon.
Guest
No news as compared to bigger pink germs from Zimbabwe that are not given limelight because of Australian sanctions.
Ian McEnhill you are dead correct this is wrong to give a stupid 12 carat stone some publicity…this is typical hyprocrisy
Ian_mcenhill
Maybe Heath2up should stick 2up, as clearly it is he who is feeeling inadequate and hides behind a false surname !
The fact remains in any mans book : 3106ct v 12ct tells it all in terms of significance ! Aussies are just a little bit jealous that all they have managed to muster is a 12ct stud for their body piercings 🙂 !