Rio Tinto’s First 2014 Rough Tender To Be Held In Israel and Antwerp

(IDEX Online News) – Rio Tinto is to hold its first rough diamond tender for 2014 in Israel and Antwerp from March 9 to 28.

The sale includes 124 lots of rough diamonds from the Argyle mine in Australia, Diavik in Canada, and Murowa in Zimbabwe.

Among the white and fancy colored rough diamonds are a 70-carat white diamond and several purple diamonds from Diavik, yellow diamonds from all three mines, and several large dark brown diamonds and a range of rare pink rough diamonds from Argyle.

Patrick Coppens, General Manager of Sales for Rio Tinto Diamonds said, “This tender offers an opportunity to view and bid for the full suite of Rio Tinto’s diverse diamond productions, for which there is continued strong global demand.”

While most of Rio Tinto's rough diamond production continues to be sold in Antwerp through two-year supply agreements with designated Select Diamantaires, Rio Tinto offers specific goods for sale to a wider range of invited companies using a proprietary auction mechanism.

Viewings of the goods in Israel are fully booked, Rio Tinto said.