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Rio Tinto Creates a Large Rough Diamond Tender
Oct 4, 2012 7:13 AM
By Dilipp S Nag
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RAPAPORT... Rio Tinto launched a ''Specials Tender,'' which showcases fine rough diamonds, greater than 10.8 carats, from a year’s worth of production from its three operating diamond mines in Australia, Canada and Zimbabwe.
The collection comprises of 94 lots of diamonds with wide array of colors and shapes, including 26 diamonds greater than 20 carats each all of which are available for preview in Antwerp throughout the first half of October, the company stated. 
“This Specials Tender showcases the unique portfolio of Rio Tinto’s diamonds from a beautiful array of natural fancy colored diamonds through to magnificent white crystals, and everything in between,” said Patrick Coppens, the general manager of sales for Rio Tinto Diamonds.
Headlining this Specials Tender, a rare 24.15-carat white diamond from the Argyle diamond mine --The Argyle Athena-- was named for the Roman goddess and son of Zeus, and was unearthed from Rio Tinto's Australian mine earlier this year. The collection of Argyle Specials also includes a 15.40-carat yellow gem and a 20.19-carat cognac diamond.
The Diavik diamond mine in Canada complements the collection with a 22.53-carat white diamond, the Diavik Selene, named after the Titan Goddess of the Moon.
The company’s Murowa diamond mine in Zimbabwe is likely to contribute the highest value of Specials of the three mines, Rio Tinto stated. With a unique combination of colors, sizes and qualities, the Murowa Specials include a 35.41-carat fancy yellow colored diamond, Helios, named after the Greek Titan of the Sun.
Rio Tinto invited specialist diamond companies from around the world to bid on the Specials Tender.
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Tags:
Argyle, Australia, Canada, diamond, Diavik, Dilipp S Nag, Murowa, Rio Tinto, rough, Specials, tender, Zimbabwe
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