In Q4 2012, the mine produced 1.9 million carats of diamond from 0.5 million tonnes of ore processed, compared to 1.6 million carats from 0.6 million tonnes of ore processed in the same quarter of 2011.
Increase in production was attributed to better grades in all kimberlite pipes. However, reduction in processing plant throughput reduced volume of ore processed by 17% for the reporting period.
Changes in the geological composition of the ore had resulted in reduction of the processing plant throughput, the company claimed.
For the complete year of 2012, the Diavik mine generated 7.2 million carats from 2.1 million tonnes of ore processed, higher than 6.7 million carats produced from 2.2 million tonnes of ore processed in 2011.
The company expects to produce 6 million carats from mining and process approximately 1.6 million tonnes of ore from the mine in fiscal 2013.
