48 / 90
45
Source: De Beers
F I G . 2 8 :
D I AMOND PROJECT P I PEL I NE ( 20 1 4 - 20 1 7 )
Note:
All data estimated based on best available public information as of May 2014
DEPOSIT NAME
OWNER(S)
DISCOVERER AND
YEAR OF DISCOVERY
COUNTRY STATUS
EST. FIRST
PRODUCTION
AVERAGE ANNUAL
PRODUCTION
(MCTS)
ADC (1997)
Development 2014
4
Grib
Lukoil Oil Company
ALROSA (1994)
Development 2015
2
Botuobinskaya
ALROSA
ALROSA (1982)
Development 2015
1
Karpinsky-1
ALROSA
Mountain Province
Diamonds (1995)
Permitting 2016
5
Gahcho Kué
De Beers/Mountain
Province Diamonds
Ashton (2001)
Permitting 2017
2
Renard
Stornoway, Newmont
Rio Tinto (2004)
Pre-feasibility 2017+
2
Bunder
Rio Tinto
Falcon Bridge
(1981)
Construction 2014
0.4
Ghaghoo
Gem Diamonds
Uranerz (1988)
Feasibility
2017+
2
Star-Orion South Shore Gold Inc
Russia
Russia
Botswana
India
Canada
Canada
Canada
Russia
In order to make a difference to global availability,
any discovery would have to be substantial – even the
largest of new projects under development, Gahcho
Kué, will only expect to add approximately five
million carats per year at its peak of production,
about three to four per cent of annual global
production (see Fig. 28).
Even if new discoveries were made, the impact of such
discoveries on production levels would be likely to
be slow. From 1950 to today, it took an average of
14 years between the discovery of a diamond deposit
and the start of production. For projects currently
in development, however, this time is even longer:
it will take more than 20 years from discovery to first
production. Gahcho Kué, for example, was discovered
in 1995, but is not projected to enter production
until late 2016.
Diamond production is also becoming increasingly
challenging as mining moves towards deeper, less
profitable and more remote sources. This trend
is explored further in the ‘In Focus’ section, ‘The
miracle of production’.