The Argyle diamond mine, 100% owned by Rio Tinto, is one of the world’s largest suppliers of diamonds, producing approximately 20 million carats each year from its operations in the East Kimberley Region, in the remote north of Western Australia.
Argyle employs approximately 750 employees with the majority working at the mine site. Argyle commenced mining its main ore body in 1985, and has since produced more than 750 million carats of diamonds. The majority of which are destined for the jewellery industry.
Pink and Coloured Diamonds
Argyle is the world’s primary source of the highly prized, rare pink diamond which has become Argyle’s signature stone. Sought-after by collectors, investors and connoisseurs the world-over, the finest pink stones are retained by the company in Perth, where they are cut and polished in Argyle’s own facility and sold by international tender. These exquisite signature stones vary in colour from pale pink to intense purple reds and command prices up to twenty times that of a white diamond.
Argyle is also the world’s largest producer of natural champagne and cognac diamonds. The US, the world’s largest diamond jewellery market, has demonstrated a large appetite for Argyle’s champagne diamonds.