Harry Winston Diamond Corporation’s Diavik diamond mine produced a total of1.9 million carats in the third quarter of 2011, 8% more than in Q3 2010, the diamond company reports.

A total of 0.6 million tons of ore were processed in Q3, a 3% increase compared to the third quarter of 2010.

For the nine months ending September 30, 2011, Diavik processed 1.7 million tons of ore that yielded 5.1 million carats of rough diamonds.

Production for the fourth quarter of 2011 is estimated to reach 1.8 million carats, while Diavik's full-year target production remains at 6.9 million carats.

The company held two partial rough diamond sales in its fiscal third quarter ending October 31 but, as CEO Robert Gannicott announced last week, Harry Winston plans to defer significant sales into the fourth quarter, and possibly later, to avoid selling rough diamonds into an unstable market.