Las Vegas: Rio Tinto Diamonds is bringing the mine to the marketplace by using innovative Oculus Rift technology to provide an interactive virtual journey into its Diavik Diamond Mine in the remote Northwest Territories of Canada.

The Oculus Rift will debut at the Rio Tinto booth at the world’s largest diamond jewellery trade show, the JCK Luxury Show, in Las Vegas on May 27th.

Rio Tinto has partnered with New York based Bravo Media Inc, to custom design the Oculus Rift experience. Oculus Rift, a virtual reality headset, provides a completely immersive, computer generated environment that allows the user to fly above the coast of Canada and land at the Diavik Diamond Mine. From here the user is taken on an interactive journey down the mine.

Brandee Dallow, manager of Rio Tinto Diamonds North American representative office, said,
“The interactive technology brings to life the mining experience in a very compelling way. Our goal in showcasing Oculus Rift at this year’s JCK Show is to start the dialogue with our customers and other members of the diamond jewellery industry about the new approaches available to better capture the next generation consumer.”

Rio Tinto Diamonds has a long track record of harnessing technology and innovation to create value in the diamond industry including X ray sorting machines, laser technology to prepare diamonds for cutting and polishing as well as innovative solutions in mining, processing and renewable energy.

“It is important for the diamond industry, from the trade through to the final consumer, to gain an understanding of where Rio Tinto’s diamonds come from and how they are mined. The mine to market story is very important to us and so we are delighted to present this new tool to the industry,” said Ms Dallow.

To experience the Oculus Rift virtual reality tool please visit the Rio Tinto booth – LUX105- at JCK Luxury in Las Vegas.