Rio Tinto in Australia - PageSuite

Rio Tinto in AustraliaThe businesses2012Diamonds and mineralsRio Tinto is one of the world’s leading producers of diamonds.We produce all sizes and qualities, and we are the largest producerof natural coloured diamonds.Argyle Diamond MineRio Tinto owns and operatesthe Argyle Diamond Mine in theremote east Kimberley regionof Western Australia. Sinceoperation began in 1983, wehave produced some 791 millioncarats of rough diamonds.Argyle diamond colours includewhites, champagnes, cognacs, greys,blues and greens. The mine alsoproduces more than 90 per cent ofthe world’s rare pink diamonds –our signature stone.Most of what is produced at ourArgyle Diamond Mine is sold asrough diamonds, except for therare pink diamonds, which are cutand polished in Western Australiaand then distributed into theinternational fine jewellery marketthrough our standalone diamondmarketing business.Australia’s biggest pink roughdiamond, the Argyle Pink Jubilee,was recently discovered at Argyle’sopen pit mine, The diamond is12.76 carats and was formed aroundtwo billion years ago.791million carats ofrough diamondsmined since operationbegan in 19831979year the Argylediamond minewas discoveredAustralia’s biggest roughpink diamond wasdiscovered at Argyle. Thediamond is 12.76 caratsand was formed aroundtwo billion years ago.6