Diavik Begins Winter Road Program
February 25, 04
Diavik Diamond Mines Inc. (DDMI) started shipments over the 2004 winter road, shipping fuel and other supplies as well as three new Komatsu 830E haul trucks.
On January 29, Diavik commenced shipping light loads over the ice road. The road, comprise of about 75 percent frozen lakes and ponds, was opened to full loads mid February.
Diavik expects to ship approximately 1,500 loads weighing a total of approximately 57 million tons over the 2004 ice road. Backhaul of about 50 loads, or about 1.5 million tons, also is anticipated.
Shipments to site include fuel and other supplies as well as three new Komatsu 830E haul trucks. The heaviest loads will be the haul truck chassis weighing about 50 tons each. The three haul trucks will bring the mining fleet to eleven.
Last year, Diavik shipped over 86,000 tons on the ice road (over 1500 loads to site and nearly 800 loads of backhaul).
The Diavik Diamond Mine is an unincorporated joint venture between DDMI (60 percent) and Aber Diamond Mines (40 percent).
Both companies are headquartered in Yellowknife. DDMI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto plc of London, England, and Aber Diamond Mines Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Aber Diamond Corporation of Toronto, Ontario.