TORONTO, Sept 29 (Reuters) - De Beers Canada is canceling the planned four-week winter shutdown at its Snap Lake diamond mine in Canada's Arctic due to improvements in the global diamond industry, the company said on Tuesday 29 September.

Photo : AFP

De Beers, which is 45 percent-owned by mining group Anglo American (AAL.L), announced the shutdown earlier this year as the economic slowdown took a heavy toll on luxury goods.

The decision to cancel the shutdown follows a similar move at the nearby Diavik diamond mine, which is owned by Harry Winston Diamond (HW.TO) and Rio Tinto (RIO.L).

"This is a good news decision in response to some positive trends we are seeing in the market place," said Jim Gowans, chief executive of De Beers' Canadian unit.

Snap Lake, which is De Beers' first mine outside of South Africa, is located in Canada's Northwest Territories.

The mine produces about 1.4 million carats a year. (Reporting by Cameron French; editing by Rob Wilson)