TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – The Diavik diamond mine, in Canada's Northwest Territories, will not shut down this winter as planned earlier, Harry Winston Diamond Corp confirmed on Wednesday.

Harry Winston, with Kinross Gold, owns 40% of the mine and diversified miner Rio Tinto holds the balance and is the mine's operator.

The owners had planned to halt production for six weeks in December and early January, but improvements in demand and prices for rough diamonds mean that the interruption is no longer necessary, Harry Winston said.

“We do not foresee a return to extreme conditions that would warrant a further shutdown,” said CEO Robert Gannicott.

The mine did close for six weeks during the summer, but has since returned to normal operations.

Harry Winston said last week that Diavik is expected to produce between five-million and six-million carats this year, but could ramp up to 7,5-million carats in 2010 if markets continue to improve.

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