Rio Tinto’s diamond production up 9% in Q4

In the fourth quarter of 2012, mining giant Rio Tinto reported a 9 percent increase (on y-o-y basis) in diamond production to 3.248 ‎million carats, reports say. Each of its diamond mines reported an increase in their individual production levels reports suggest.

The fully-owned Argyle mine recorded a 5 percent increase in production to 2.01 ‎million carats. The company’s 60 percent stake in production at the Diavik mine in Canada recorded a 19 ‎percent increase to 1.141 million carats. Harry Winston owns the remaining 40 percent in Diavik. The 78 percent stake in production held by Rio Tinto in the Murowa mine in Zimbabwe reported an 11 percent increase to 98,000 carats.

In the 12 months of 2012, the company’s overall diamond production rose 12 percent to ‎‎13.122 million carats, reports say.