12 June 2009
Diavik sustainable development report
Diavik Diamond Mines Inc. is pleased to release its 2008 Annual Sustainable Development Report. In addition to background information about Diavik, the report highlights our many initiatives towards economic prosperity, social well-being, and environmental protection - the three key pillars of sustainable development.
Highlights in the Diavik 2008 report include:
• An overview of our work to prepare for underground mining, which is the next phase of our operations. Underground mining is scheduled to commence in 2010, and will extend our mine life past 2020, confirming the 16-22 year mine life we projected in the 1990s.
• Safety efforts resulted in all injury frequency rate of 0.98 and a lost time injury rate of 0.49.
• Completion of our fourth Aboriginal Leadership Development Program, bringing the total number of graduates from the program, which began in 2005, to 42.
• Four northerners completed their apprenticeships bringing the total number of Diavik apprentices who have achieved journeyperson designation to 17. At year-end, 19 more northerners were in apprenticeships at Diavik.
• Our northern workforce averaged 540 workers, of which approximately half are Aboriginal.
• Over one-half billion dollars was spent locally on operations and on new construction. Of the $509 million in northern spending, approximately half was with northern Aboriginal businesses.
• Diavik continues to operate in compliance with all environmental regulations, licences, and permits, and our environmental management system was maintained to the global ISO 14001:2004 standard.
• Our community projects continue and we partnered to complete the Bailey House men's transition centre and to begin construction of the Territorial Dementia Facility in Yellowknife.
• Diamond production commenced from the second open pit, the A418 pit, which accessed our third ore body, the A418 kimberlite pipe.
The full report can be found at www.diavik.ca in the reports and publications section.
The Diavik Diamond Mine is located 300 km. northeast of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories and is an unincorporated joint venture between DDMI (60%) and Harry Winston Diamond Limited Partnership. (40%). Both companies are headquartered in Yellowknife, Canada. DDMI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto plc of London, England, and Harry Winston Diamond Limited Partnership is a subsidiary of Harry Winston Diamond Corporation of Toronto, Canada. DDMI is the operator of the project. For further information contact Doug Ashbury, Acting Principal Adviser, Communications at Tel: (867) 669-6500, or visit the DDMI website at www.diavik.ca.