Sustainable growth on Rio's Argyle diamond agenda

摘要

In Western Australia's Kimberley the world's second largest mineral resources house has embarked on a unique indigenous training and employment program to ensure its mining operations will help make a significant contribution towards the region's long term future economic growth. The publicly-listed Rio Tinto pic-through its wholly-owned subsidiary Argyle Diamond Mines Pty Ltd - is looking to eventually source 80 percent of its employees from the local area, with 40 percent of that work force being indigenous. Open pit mining at Argyle, which is the largest diamond operation in the world by volume, is expected to finish some time in 2008/09, with the company currently spending close to 1 billion dollars on establishing an underground extension to the mighty pit. Rio Tinto is looking to expand the project's life until at least 2018 via block caving, and has so far established around 10 kilometres worth of decline.