A Thrilling Yellow Diamond Discovery at Rio Tinto’s Diavik Mine

A new diamond discovery from Rio Tinto’s Diavik mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories has been unearthed, a thrilling discovery for the natural diamond industry. The 158.20-carat rough diamond is one of the largest gem-quality yellow diamond ever discovered in Canada, the third-largest natural diamond producer in the world. Rio Tinto’s yellow diamond discovery is sure to make history.

The rough diamond is only one of five yellow diamonds weighing over 100 carats ever discovered at Diavik in its 22-year history. The mine, located just 200 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle, primarily produces white gem-quality diamonds. This yellow diamond discovery falls into the less than 1% category of yellow diamond production from Diavik, making it an ultra-rare gemstone.

Yellow Diamonds 101

Yellow diamonds get their color from an excess of nitrogen in their crystal lattice structure. While the diamond was forming in the Earth, under intense heat and pressure, nitrogen atoms replaced the carbon atoms in the diamond’s crystal structure. This unique composition absorbs blue light and reflects a warm, golden hue, resulting in the radiant yellow tones that define these exquisite gemstones.

Another famous yellow diamond discovery is the Tiffany Yellow Diamond, a 287-carat rough diamond purchased for only $18,000 by Charles Lewis Tiffany in 1877. It took a year for the rough to be transformed into the 128.54-carat brilliant cushion-cut diamond it is today. What makes this diamond so unique is its 82 facets and the fact that it’s only been seen in public three times and has never been sold in Tiffany & Co.’s 150-year history.

Positive Impact in Canada

Diavik Diamond Mines Chief Operating Officer Matt Breen said in a press release, “This two billion-year-old, natural Canadian diamond is a miracle of nature and testament to the skill and fortitude of all the men and women who work in Diavik’s challenging sub-Arctic environment.” Indeed, Canada’s Northwest Territories are extremely remote but the natural diamond industry has been extremely supportive of the land’s native people, like the Dene First Nation and the Ni Hadi Xa, working with them to protect the lands the mines operate on, even after they close.

The economy of the Northwest Territories of Canada has grown over 80% since 1999, thanks, in large part, to diamond mining. Since 1996, diamond mines in the Northwest Territories of Canada have generated 74,210 person years of cumulative employment and contributed over $27 billion to the economy. From this amount, $19 billion has gone toward businesses in the Northwest Territories, and over $8 billion to companies specifically owned by Indigenous people. Of the total economic contribution, only 30% left the Northwest Territories. Diamond mining is also the largest private sector industry in the whole of the Northwest Territories, contributing 28% of the total GDP in 2022.

Rio Tinto’s Diavik mine has been in operation since 2003, its production lauded for its “precious provenance and honorable pedigree,” according to a press release, as it sources natural diamonds from one of Earth’s most pristine environments. Diavik is also committed to operating sustainably, using a hybrid wind-diesel power factory since 2012. Their new solar power plant, completed in 2024, is the largest off-grid solar plant in Canada’s North, proving renewable energy is possible in the sub-Arctic region.

What’s Next

Now that the diamond has been discovered, it must undergo an intense process of cutting and polishing by some of the most skilled craftspeople in the world. The goal is always to preserve the integrity, size, and brilliant color of the yellow diamond, while making sure the final polished product shines and sparkles as much as possible.

In a press release from Rio Tinto, Patrick Coppens, General Manager of Sales and Marketing for Rio Tinto’s diamonds business said, “The beauty and purity of Diavik diamonds continues to excite passions amongst all who see them, and we look forward to following the onward journey of this very special diamond.”