(Yellowknife, NT – December 10, 2007) Diavik Diamond Mines Inc. (DDMI) is pleased to release its 2007 half-year socio-economic report as committed to under the Diavik Socio-Economic Monitoring Agreement (SEMA). Diavik’s SEMA report provides a summary of socio-economic initiatives in employment, business, and workforce development from January through June 2007.
Highlights include:
•Training: Diavik and contractors employed 21 apprentices, all northern and the majority Aboriginal. Also during the first half of 2007, Diavik commenced its third Aboriginal
Leadership Development Program.
•Employment: During the first six months of 2007, the Diavik Diamond Mine operations workforce averaged 773 employees. Northern employment averaged 513 workers, or 66 per cent, of which approximately half (250) were Aboriginal.
•Business: Diavik’s business expenditures for the half year were $375 million. Of this, 68 per cent, or $255 million, was with northern business. Approximately half ($125 million)
of this was with northern Aboriginal business. This brings cumulative spending with northern businesses to $2.2 billion (74 per cent), of which $1.3 billion is with Aboriginal
businesses.
The full report is available on the DDMI website at www.diavik.ca.
The Diavik Diamond Mine, located 300 km. northeast of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, is an unincorporated joint venture between DDMI (60%) and Aber Diamond Mines Ltd. (40%). Both companies are headquartered in Yellowknife, Canada. DDMI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto plc of London, England, and Aber Diamond Mines Ltd. is wholly owned by Harry Winston Diamond Corporation of Toronto, Canada. DDMI is the operator of the project. For further information contact Tom Hoefer, Manager of Communications & External Relations at Tel: (867) 669-6500, or visit the DDMI website at www.diavik.ca.