Canada’s Diavik Diamond Mine is leveling up in a big way. The project, which used to hold the title of the biggest diamond mine in the world, is now moving into a new phase. The facility has completed the installation of a massive, sprawling solar farm that promises to deliver millions of kilowatts of clean energy a year, saving thousands of tons of carbon emissions from being released into the atmosphere.
The move signals a positive shift in the mining sector’s attitude to renewable power and the concentrated effort to move away from the burning of fossil fuels. It’s hoped that similar mining operations that have yet not moved to clean energy solutions will view Diavik as a model and imitate it.
Rio Tinto gave Diavik Diamond Mine a renewable facelift
The mining industry is historically notorious for environmentally harmful practices and accounts for a significant portion of the carbon emissions that are released into the atmosphere. Global mining outfit Rio Tinto is changing the narrative by installing its own solar farm, signalling a new, clean era of operations.
Some controversy about a lack of environmental preservation practices has marred Rio Tinto’s reputation in the past, but since then, it’s overhauled its priorities to become a role model for sustainable mining practices and clean energy generation in the less-than-clean mining world.
An incredible 4.2 million kWh of solar energy is expected to be generated annually. This will reduce diesel consumption by 264,000 gallons (one million liters) per year, and greenhouse gas emissions, specifically carbon dioxide, will be reduced by 2,900 tons. This is equivalent to removing 630 cars from the road a year.
What makes the Diavik Diamond Mine so noteworthy?
The Diavik solar plant has a 3.5 MW capacity serviced by 6,620 panels. The solar panels’ bi-facial design means they harvest solar energy from multiple directions. Snow covers the Diavik region for a large part of the year, which assists in reflecting sunlight onto the solar array. The farm is already in operation and has generated more than 195 million kilowatt hours of renewable energy.
Rio Tinto believes in decarbonization and the protection of the environment
Rio Tinto, a British-Australian company, viewed the eradication of burning diesel to supply the mine as imperative, and it executed that vision successfully. The company’s focus on sustainable mining practices is not just applicable to the Diavik solar project, but to numerous endeavors worldwide. Rio Tinto operates solar and wind farms in exotic regions such as South Africa, Madagascar, and Australia, all of which are regions known for an abundance of wind or solar energy resources.
Rio Tinto aims to reduce its Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions (as defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol) by half by the year 2030 at the latest. It aims to reach net zero by 2050, a goal shared by most first-world countries.
Canada’s government recognized the value of the Diavik solar endeavor
The construction company contracted to build Diavik’s solar energy plant at Diavik Diamond Mine was Whitehorse-based Solvest. This began in February 2024 after funding of $2.4 million (C$3.3 million) was secured from the Government of the Northwest Territories via its Large Emitters GHG Reducing Investment Grant Program.
It was identified that the program’s regional emissions goals and carbon tax strategies aligned well with Rio Tinto’s, ending in a win-win situation for all stakeholders.
Matthew Breen, COO of Diavik Diamond Mine, is proud of Rio Tinto’s commitment to conserving and improving the environment while serving the communities around it and serving as a role model in the industry:
“We are proud to lead the way for large-scale renewable-energy projects in Canada’s North.”
The rate at which large industry players are fostering renewable energy solutions is gathering momentum. A new resource has been discovered in Minnesota and it has huge potential to mine. It’s such a large volume that the global industry could be impacted.