Lucapa Diamond to restart halted Merlin mine
The phased approach will begin with an 18-month initial phase focused on excavating and dredging five existing pits.
Rio Tinto has unveiled its annual showcase of the world’s rarest pink and red diamonds in a preview at the Argyle mine site in the east Kimberley region of Western Australia.
The 64-diamond collection, including three fancy red diamonds and weighing 56.28 carats in total, make up the 2019 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender.
Rio’s copper & diamonds chief executive Arnaud Soirat said the diamonds are a testament to the enormous range and depth of offering from the Argyle ore body, nearly four decades from when production commenced.
The lifecycle of the Argyle mine is approaching its end, and the company has seen strong demand for these limited-edition diamonds, Soirat said.
The 2019 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender collection, titled “The Quest for the Absolute” comprises six hero diamonds: Argyle Enigma, a 1.75 carat modified radiant fancy red diamond, Argyle Amari, a 1.48 carat heart shaped fancy vivid purplish pink, Argyle Elysian, a 1.20 carat modified cushion shaped fancy vivid pink, Argyle Verity, a 1.37 carat oval shaped fancy vivid purplish pink, Argyle Opus, a 2.01 carat round shaped fancy intense pink and Argyle Avenoir, 1.07 carat oval shaped fancy red diamond.
The 2019 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender is being showcased in Perth, Hong Kong and New York, with bids closing on 9 October 2019.
