Returning to Nature

After 23 years of operations, and over 150 million rough carats produced, the last ore was extracted from the Diavik Diamond Mine on Tuesday 23 March 2026.

The discovery of the Diavik resource in the 1990s was the result of decades of grit and determination, searching the ethereally beautiful wilds of Canada’s Northwest Territories. From the outset, Diavik established itself as benchmark for a modern diamond mine, developed through close partnership with Indigenous communities and governments, becoming a key contributor to the local economy. Diavik’s closure will continue in this spirit.

Please click here to read the press release issued by Rio Tinto to
reflect on this special milestone.

Closure planning has been ongoing from the very beginning of operations at Diavik – commencing before the mine even began production. The buildings on site were designed at the outset to be demolished and disposed of safely, while the embankments were constructed such that they can be breached, allowing a lake water to flow into the open pit once it is safe to do so.

Our active closure activities have now commenced, and are presently scheduled to extend to 2029. This will then followed by a period of post-closure monitoring.