EXPLORING FOR DIAMONDS AND THE NORTH — AUSTRALIAN ACTIVITY (September 20, 1993)

There are two commercial diamond mines in Australia, the Argyle mine of Ashton Mining and CRA, and the Bow River operation of Normandy Poseidon. Both are in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

Argyle, the largest diamond mine in the world, turned out 38.9 million carats in 1992; Bow River produced about 1.1 million carats during the 1991-92 financial year.

The gem content is reported to be considerably higher at Bow River, whose source of diamonds is alluvial material washed downstream from the Argyle pipe. The host rock at the Argyle mine is lamproite.