Specifications - Argyle Diamond Mine, Kimberley, Australia
| Key Data | |
|---|---|
| Producer of | Diamonds |
| Location | Kimberley, northeast Western Australia |
| Ownership | Rio Tinto (100%) |
| Geology type | Precambrian diamond-bearing lamproite pipe with associated placer deposits |
| Mineral type | Native diamonds |
| Reserve base | 83Mt at 2.7ct/t hard-rock, plus 28Mt at 0.2ct/t alluvial (2005) |
| Production | |
| 2006 | 8.4Mt of ore, producing 29.1Mct of diamonds |
| Long-term average | 34Mct/y |
| Expected (post 2009) | 20Mct/y |
| Mining method | Conventional open-pit, block-caving underground mining (2009 onwards) |
| Processing method | Crushing, screening, diamond recovery by heavy medium separation and X-ray fluorescence sorting |
| Employment | 800 plus 200 contractors |
| Key Equipment | |
| Open pit | Bucyrus BE39, P&H250XP and Tamrock Driltech D90K rotary drill rigs; O&K RH200 hydraulic excavators; Caterpillar 789B and Unit Rig MT4400 haul trucks fitted with Skega dump body liners |
| Mining contractor - alluvials and underground development | MacMahons Contractors |
| Recovery plant | Allis-Chalmers and Nordberg crushers; Dorr-Oliver thickeners; Warman International pumps |
| Infrastructure | Wartsila diesel generator units; Ansett Australia air services |
| Featured Suppliers | |
| FLSmidth Dorr-Oliver Eimco - Flotation, Agglomeration and Filtering | |
| GE Transportation Systems - Electric Drive Systems | |
| Gekko - Gravity Separation and Mineral Processing Equipment | |
| MineCom - Wireless Automation, Personnel Tracking and Leaky Feeder Communication Systems | |
| REMA TIP TOP - Conveyor Belt Maintenance, Wear and Corrosion Protection | |
| Shaw-Almex Industries Ltd - Conveyor Belt Vulcanizing Equipment | |
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