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Petra Diamonds' Tanzania mine operations suspended after wall breach

A 25.5-carat blue diamond found at Petra Diamonds' Cullinan mine.
A 25.5-carat blue diamond found at Petra Diamonds' Cullinan mine.
Image: PETRA DIAMONDS

Petra Diamonds has suspended operations at its Williamson mine in Tanzania after a wall of the tailings storage facility was breached, causing flooding in nearby areas, it said on Monday.

The company, which operates three mines in South Africa as well as Tanzania's biggest diamond mine, said no injuries or fatalities have been confirmed and that government and mine emergency response teams have been mobilised.

The Williamson mine is 75% owned by Petra, with the rest held by the Tanzanian government. Williamson produced 228,070 carats of diamonds in Petra's financial year to June 30, generating $76 million in revenue.

A tailings dam collapse at a disused South African diamond mine on Sept. 11 left two people dead and scores more injured, casting the spotlight on how mines across the world are managing their waste dumps.


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