The Diavik Diamond Mine in Canada has yielded three sizable rough diamonds—including one very rare yellow—and Rio Tinto will try to sell them this month.
Ranging in size from 24 to nearly 178 carats, the stones are headlining Rio Tinto’s current “Specials” tender, a sale of rough diamonds that are 10.8 carats or larger.
Known collectively as the “Stars of the Arctic,” the biggest of the three is “Vega of the Arctic,” a 177.71-carat rough diamond that Rio Tinto said is one of the largest and most valuable gem-quality diamonds to ever come out of Canada. (The biggest diamond ever mined in Canada weighed 187.7 carats and also came from Diavik.)
The “Capella” is a 24.82-carat yellow diamond. Rio Tinto said the discovery of a yellow diamond of this size is “very rare;” the mine only produces about five per year on average, making it less than 0.001 percent of Diavik’s annual production.
The last diamond, the “Altair of the Arctic,” is a 59.10-carat white gem-quality rough.
Rio Tinto is currently showcasing the stones to large diamond specialists in Israel and Antwerp. Bids will close on Oct. 25.
Photo © Dominion Diamond Mine, Rio Tinto, DR.
