Discovered in their Canadian base of operations, The Diavik Diamond Mine has unearthed three rough diamonds, including a very rare yellow one. Rio Tinto will be attempting to sell these sizeable jewels later this month.
In the picture seen above, from left to right, the diamonds are the 177.71-carat “Vega,” the 24.82-carat “Capella” and the 59.10-carat “Altair.” These are what as known as the “Diavik Stars of the Arctic.”
A joint venture between Rio Tinto (owns 60%) and Dominion Diamond Mines (owns 40%), The Diavik Diamond Mine began production in 2003, going underground in 2012 and expected to go on until 2025.
The "Capella" yellow diamond is a rarity for the mine, which only produces five per year on average. Yellow diamonds only make up less than 0.001 percent of annual production for Diavik. According to Rio Tinto, “Vega of the Arctic,” the biggest of the three diamonds, is the largest and most valuable gem-quality to come out of Canada.
