Rio Tinto’s Diavik diamond mine goes solar

Rio Tinto has installed a 3.5 megawatt solar power plant at its Diavik diamond mine to minimise its carbon footprint in the run-up to closure.

The Canadian facility, which boasts 6,620 solar panels, will reduce the mine’s diesel fuel consumption by 1 million litres per year and cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2,900 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. That’s comparable to taking 630 cars off the road each year, Rio Tinto said on Tuesday.

The move is scheduled for the end of Diavik mine life, which is expected to occur in late 2026, and the subsequent closure, which will last approximately three years. The solar power plant will supply up to 25% of the mine’s electricity during the closure, generating energy from sunlight as well as from light reflected off snow.

The Northwest Territories government provided Rio Tinto with CAD3.3 million (US$2.4 million) to fund the project.

The company aims to halve greenhouse gas emissions from all its projects by 2030 and eliminate them completely by 2050.

“The largest off-grid solar plant in Canada’s North is our latest commitment to the environment where we live and work and will improve the energy efficiency of our Diavik operations,” said Matthew Breen, Mine Operations Manager. “We are proud to be leaders in large-scale renewable energy projects in Canada’s North.”

Photo: Solar panels at Diavik mine. (Rio Tinto)