Perth: Global mining giant Rio Tinto’s second quarter review of its mining operations shows excellent production results for both the Argyle mine in Australia (100 percent interest) and the Diavik diamond mine in Canada (60 percent interest). The Argyle production for the second quarter of 2015 was 3,374,000 carats, up 5 percent over Q1 2015, and up 37 percent over Q2 2014. The company’s share in the Diavik production for Q2 2015 was 1,285,000 carats up 43 percent compared with Q1 2015, and with no change when compared with Q2 2014.

The increase in production at Argyle is reportedly due to the continued ramp up of production from the underground mine, while Diavik’s increased Q2 production is attributed to higher grades being recovered from the mine.

Production reported from Rio Tinto’s Murowa mine in Zimbabwe was minimal – 37,000 carats in Q2 2015, down 7 percent compared with the previous quarter, and down 54 percent compared with Q2 2014. In late June 2015 the company announced the sale of its interest in the mine.