- Diavik Diamond Mine
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Diavik Mine 
Diavik mine in 2006Location Location in Canada
Diavik Mine64°29′46″N 110°16′24″W / 64.49611°N 110.27333°WCoordinates: 64°29′46″N 110°16′24″W / 64.49611°N 110.27333°W
Location Lac de Gras Territory Northwest Territories Country Canada Owner Company Harry Winston Diamond Corporation and Diavik Diamond Mines Inc. Website http://www.diavik.ca/ Production Products Diamonds History Opened 2003 The Diavik Diamond Mine is a diamond mine in the North Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada, about 300 kilometres (190 mi) north of Yellowknife.[1] It has become an important part of the regional economy, employing 700, grossing C$100 million in sales, and producing 8 million carats (1,600 kg (3,500 lb)) of diamonds annually. The area was surveyed in 1992 and construction began in 2001, with production commencing in January 2003. It is connected by an ice road and Diavik Airport with a 5,235 ft (1,596 m) gravel runway regularly accommodating Boeing 737 jet aircraft.
The mine is owned by a joint venture between the Harry Winston Diamond Corporation and Diavik Diamond Mines Inc., a subsidiary of Rio Tinto Group. The lifespan of the mine is expected to be 16 to 22 years.
The mine consists of three kimberlite pipes associated with the Lac de Gras kimberlite field and is located on an island 20 km2 (7.7 sq mi) in Lac de Gras and is informally called East Island. It is about 220 km (140 mi) south of the Arctic Circle.
In 2006 the ice road from Yellowknife to the Diavik mine, and neighbouring mines, froze late and thawed early.[2] The Diavik mine was unable to truck in all the supplies needed for the rest of 2006 before the road closed and arrangements had to be made to bring the remainder of the supplies in by air.
On July 5, 2007 a consortium of seven mining companies, including Rio Tinto, announced they are sponsoring environmental impact studies to construct a deep-water port in Bathurst Inlet.[3][4] Their plans include building a 211 km (131 mi) road connecting the port to their mines. The port would serve vessels of up to 25,000 tonnes.
In March 2010, underground mining began at the mine. The transition from open pit to underground mining is expected to be completed by 2012.[5]
Contents
See also
References
- ^ "The Diavik Diamond Mine - Geography". http://www.diavik.ca/ENG/ouroperations/location.asp. Retrieved 2009-10-22.
- ^ "Diavik Fact Book: The Diavik Diamond Mine". Diavik Diamond Mine Incorporated. http://www.diavik.ca/documents/DiavikFactBook.pdf. Retrieved 2007-09-04.
- ^ Bob Weber (July 4, 2007). "Arctic port plan gathers steam". Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/232201. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
- ^ Jonathan Ratner (July 5, 2007). "New Arctic port plan for Northern miners". National Post. http://communities.canada.com/nationalpost/blogs/tradingdesk/archive/2007/07/05/new-port-plan-for-northern-miners.aspx. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
- ^ Guy Quenneville (March 29, 2010). "Diavik goes underground". Northern News Services. http://www.nnsl.com/frames/newspapers/2010-03/mar29_10d.html. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
Further reading
- Field guide to Diavik Diamond Mine, written by mine staff for 2003 International Kimberlite Conference. Includes geology, maps and photos.
- Chapter 17. Diamond Exploration – Ekati and Diavik Mines, Canada by Charles J. Moon (Google Books preview )in Charles J. Moon, M. K. G. Whateley, Anthony M. Evans, Introduction to Mineral Exploration, 2nd Edition. 2006,Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-1405113175.
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- Figures and captions from Chapter 17 are available at publisher's site
External links
- Diavik Diamond Mine, official website
- Diavik Diamond Mine article at mining-technology.com
- 1991 Discovery of Diamonds in the NWT
- Photos of Diavik Mine at Google Images
Categories:- Diamond mines in Canada
- Mines in the Northwest Territories
- Rio Tinto subsidiaries
- Diatremes of the Northwest Territories
- Pre-Holocene volcanoes
- Surface mines in Canada
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