• Data Access
  • Your Email  
  • Your Email  
Keep me signed in.
Forgot your password?
Close
  • Forgot Your Password?
  • Enter the email you signed up with and we'll email it to you.
  • Your Email  
Close
Back
MDO
Mining Data Solutions
  • Home
  • Database
  • Subscribe
  • Sign In
  • Sign In
Australia
Argyle Mine

This page is not tailored to
devices with screen width under 750 px.
 Location:
37 km NE from Warmun, Western Australia, Australia

  Address:
PO Box 508
Kununurra
Western Australia, Australia
6743
Phone  ...  Subscription required
EmailEmail
WebsiteWeb
Additional Resources for Suppliers & Investors
Drill results over 30 g/t Au
Stay on top of recent discoveries.
Search drill results by commodity and grade.
Largest mines in the Americas
Mining and mill throughput capaciites.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Deepest underground mines
Shaft depth and mill throughput data.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Heavy mobile equipment
HME type, model, size and quantity.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Permitting and construction projects
Projects at the permitting or construction stage. Full profiles of select projects.
Mines with remote camps
Camp size, mine location and contacts.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Mines & projects in Australia
A list of country's mines and projects.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
  • Overview
  • Owners
  • Mining
  • Processing
  • Production
  • Reserves
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

Thank you for browsing through mine profiles compiled by the Mining Data Online team.

Would you like to subcribe or schedule a Demo?
  • Name:
     
  • Company:
     
  • Position:
     
  • Phone:
  • Email:
  • Message:

Overview

StatusClosing / Closed
Mine TypeUnderground
Commodities
  • Diamond
Mining Method
  • Block caving
Processing
  • Dense media separation
  • X-Ray sorting
Mine Life2020
November 03, 2020 - After 37 years of operations and having exhausted its economic reserves, the iconic Argyle mine in the remote east Kimberley region of Western Australia has celebrated its final day of mining.

Argyle employees, Traditional Owners and local stakeholders attended an event at the mine, signalling the formal transition from an operational mine to the commencement of closure. The closure process is expected to take some five years to decommission and dismantle the mine and undertake rehabilitation, followed by a further period of monitoring. Argyle will employ a smaller workforce post the final mining and diamond production activities, continuing to contribute to the local economy.
Latest NewsRio Tinto plc: The iconic Argyle diamond mine delivers its final production     November 3, 2020


Owners & OPERATOR

Source:
CompanyInterestOwnership
NRW Holdings Ltd. (operator)
Rio Tinto plc 100 % Indirect
Argyle Diamond Ltd. 100 % Direct
The contract is to perform waste rock dump rehabilitation trials required by Argyle Diamonds to facilitate the planning of the mine closure feasibility study.

Deposit Type

  • Lamproite


Summary:


Mining Methods

  • Block caving


Summary:

Argyle’s open pit diamond mine, which ceased operations in August 2013, produced more than 800 million carats of diamonds over its 28-year life. The Argyle diamonds continue at depth and an underground block cave mine has been developed as the safest and most economical way to reach deep into Argyle’s ore body.

Block cave mining involves undercutting the ore body and allowing it to break up or ‘cave’ under its own weight, removing the need for explosives or blasting. The technologically sophisticated underground operation at Argyle is the first block cave mine in Western Australia and one of only two operating in Australia.

The Argyle underground mine is a challenge both in size and complexity. There are around 40 kilometers of tunnels. The main thoroughfares in the underground network are four tunnels – two to carry vehicles, one for ventilation and one for moving ore. There are two large underground crushers and conveyor belts transport the ore from deep in the mine to the surface.


Crushing and Grinding


Processing

  • Dense media separation
  • X-Ray sorting

Source: Subscription required

Summary:

Today, the Argyle processing plant is one of the most efficient in the world. It is capable of processing up to 11 million tonnes of ore per annum.

Once extracted, the diamond bearing ore is taken to a processing plant where it is crushed, scrubbed and screened. The particles of ore at that point are between 1 and 30mm in size. A technique called dense medium separation (DMS) separates the diamonds and other heavy minerals from the less dense waste ore. The diamonds can then be separated from the other minerals in the concentrate using an x-ray sorter. Under x-rays, diamonds fluoresce. The flashes of light that they emit trigger a blast of air that blows only the diamonds out of the concentrate. The diamonds are then cleaned, washed and weighed, ready to be sorted and valued for sale.

Recoveries & Grades:

CommodityParameter20172016201520142013
Diamond Head Grade, carats/t 3.52.72.83.11.2

Production:

CommodityUnits201920182017201620152014
Diamond k carats  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required17,13513,95813,4729,188
All production numbers are expressed as mineral.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Operational Metrics:

Metrics201820172016201520142013
Tonnes processed  ......  Subscription required5.1 Mt of ore4.8 Mt of ore3 Mt of ore7.4 Mt of ore
Plant annual capacity  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Reserves at December 31, 2018:

CategoryTonnage CommodityGrade
Probable 11 Mt Diamond 2.2 carats/t


Heavy Mobile Equipment:

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Sep 25, 2019
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Sep 25, 2019
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Sep 25, 2019
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Staff:

EmployeesYear
Subscription required 2019
Subscription required 2017
Subscription required 2016
Subscription required 2015

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2018
Annual Report 2017
Sustainability Report 2017
Annual Report 2016
Sustainability Report 2016
Annual Report 2015
Sustainability Report 2015
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

News:

NewsDate
Rio Tinto plc: The iconic Argyle diamond mine delivers its final production November 3, 2020
Rio Tinto plc: Rare Argyle pink diamonds released ahead of mine closure October 27, 2020
Rio Tinto: Australian diamond output to plummet following Argyle closure July 24, 2019

Aerial view:

Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Terms of Use Privacy Policy © 2020 MDO Data Online Inc.