—The Source
The Argyle Diamond Mine was discovered in 1979 in the remote East Kimberly region of Western Australia, considered one of the world’s last great wildernesses. There, amidst the iconic red landscape, vivid blue skies and ancient rock formations, some of the most rare and beautiful diamonds in the world were carefully extracted.
These natural treasures were recovered with great respect for the environment, the local communities and the culture and spirituality of the local traditional landowners who have inhabited the land for thousands of years. Mining activities were also undertaken in accordance with the standards of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), for which Rio Tinto, the owner and operator of the Argyle Diamond Mine, was a founding member.
After 37 years of operations, the Argyle Diamond Mine celebrated its final day of mining on 3 November 2020. Following cessation of production, Rio Tinto is committed to respectfully closing and rehabilitating the mine, and returning the land to its traditional custodians.
Traditional landowners believe that the land on which the Argyle mine sits was created by the Ngarranggarni, also known as The Dreaming. Dreamtime stories provide a strong belief system through which they connect to their country.
