Diavik 2006 Socio-Economic Highlights

(Yellowknife, NT – April 26, 2007) Diavik Diamond Mines Inc. (DDMI) is pleased to release its 2006 full-year socio-economic report as committed to under the Diavik Socio-Economic Monitoring Agreement.

Diavik’s SEMA report provides a summary of socio-economic initiatives in employment, business, and workforce development from January through December 2006. Some highlights include:

♦ Training: Eight northerners achieved Journeyperson designation in 2006 bringing the total tradespeople trained at Diavik to ten. Additionally, Diavik and contractors employed 20 apprentices, all northern and the majority Aboriginal.♦ Employment: In 2006, the Diavik Diamond Mine operations workforce averaged 735 employees. Northern employment averaged 497 workers, or 68 per cent, of which approximately half (247) were Aboriginal.

♦ Business: Diavik’s business expenditures reached $492 million, the largest since mine construction. Of this, 77 per cent or $379 million was with northern business, and $223 million was with northern Aboriginal business. This brings cumulative spending with northern businesses to approximately $2.0 billion, of which over $1 billion is with northern 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 Limited Partnership (40%). Both companies are headquartered in Yellowknife, Canada. DDMI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto plc of London, England, and Aber Diamond Limited Partnership is wholly owned by Aber Diamond Corporation of Toronto, Ontario. DDMI is the operator of the project.

For further information, visit the DDMI website at www.diavik.ca, and/or contact Tom Hoefer, Manager External & Internal Affairs, at Telephone: (867) 669-6500.

~ Please visit here to view full report (PDF).