CANADA

It was only the largest diamond mine in the world: 4.5 million kWh of this energy have been found

by Kelly L.
November 11, 2024

Credits: National Jeweller

Diavik Diamond Mine in Canada just got a major upgrade! The project, which used to hold the title of largest diamond mine in the world, can now boast about a completely different aspect – 4.2 million kWh of clean energy. The impact of this is massive—264,000 gallons less diesel burned a year.

Diamond mine and solar energy plant working hand-in-hand

The mining industry is known for being a huge contributor to carbon emissions and negative environmental impacts, but global mining company Rio Tinto is working hard to change the narrative. After some controversy in the past about Rio Tinto’s lack of environmental preservation practices, such as the Juukan Gorge caves that were reportedly destroyed by the company’s mining activities, it overhauled its strategy and priorities to become a role model for sustainable practices and clean energy generation in the historically “dirty” mining world.

Rio Tinto goes off-grid with its own solar power plant

When you want something, what better way than to make your own? That’s what Rio Tinto set out to do when its management conceptualized its own power plant, and they delivered. The company’s biggest off-grid solar energy installation in Canada’s Northwest Territories is also the largest in the North, making Diavik Diamond Mine the shiniest gem in the crown in those parts.

The Diavik solar plant has a 3.5 MW capacity serviced by 6,620 panels, and 4.2 million kWh of electricity is expected to be generated a year. The solar panels have a bi-facial design, meaning they capture solar energy from multiple directions as it’s reflected off the snow that covers the Diavik region for a large part of the year.

What’s the positive impact?

The power generated is exclusively for the mine’s use, meaning it’s no longer dependent on burning diesel to power its operations. This is expected to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 2,900 tons a year, which is the equivalent of taking more than 600 gas-powered cars off the road. To date, 195 million kilowatt hours of renewable energy have already been generated.

Advantages of solar energy for electricity generation

There are a number of reasons why solar power is an ever-increasingly popular choice for alternative green energy sources:Source of renewable energy: The sun is an unlimited source of energy.

Low emissions: Solar production doesn’t involve any harmful emissions.
Low cost: Once the cost of installing solar power systems is covered, the electricity is virtually free after that, save for maintenance costs.

Low maintenance: There’s not much infrastructure involved in harnessing solar energy, so there’s less to fix and maintain.

Independence: Generating solar power means not having to rely on the grid, or not having to rely on imported fossil fuels.


Decarbonization is a priority for Rio Tinto

British-Australian mining powerhouse Rio Tinto had a clear and confident plan to eradicate the need to burn diesel to supply the Diavik Diamond Mine, and they executed it admirably. Its focus on sustainable mining practices is not just applicable to this Canadian project but to numerous projects around the globe, such as solar and wind farms in Richards Bay, Madagascar, and several in Australia, areas known for an abundance of wind and solar resources.

By 2030, Rio Tinto aims to reduce its Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions (as defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol) by half, and by 2050, it wants to reach net zero, a goal shared by much of the world.

Construction company Solvest started building the solar energy plant at Diavik Diamond Mine in February 2024 after $2.4 million (C$3.3 million) in funding was secured from the Government of the Northwest Territories Large Emitters GHG Reducing Investment Grant Program, which identified that the program’s regional emissions goals and carbon tax strategies align well with Rio Tinto’s.
It’s onwards and upwards for Rio Tinto in the green energy revolution

Diavik Diamond Mine’s COO, Matthew Breen, is proud of his company’s commitment to conserve and improve the environment the mine operates in and serve the communities around it:


“We are proud to lead the way for large-scale renewable-energy projects in Canada’s North.”