Diavik Diamond Mine
Diavik mine in 2006
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| Location | |
|---|---|
| Location | Lac de Gras |
| Territory | Northwest Territories |
| Country | Canada |
| Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Production | |
| Products | Diamonds |
| History | |
| Opened | 2003 |
| Owner | |
| Company | Rio Tinto and Dominion Diamond Corporation, operated by Rio Tinto company Diavik Diamond Mines Inc. |
| Website | http://www.diavik.ca/ |
The Diavik Diamond Mine is a diamond mine in the North Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada, about 300 kilometres (190 mi) northeast of Yellowknife.[1] It has become an important part of the regional economy, employing 1,000, grossing C$100 million in sales, and producing approximately 7.5 million carats (1,500 kg (3,300 lb)) of diamonds annually.[2] 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.
Diavik Diamond Mine is an industrial complex and town in one, set in a remote, sub-Arctic landscape. In the 2013 satellite image below, you can see the two main open pits, waste rock piles, and an airstrip capable of landing aircraft as large as 737s and C-130s. The complex also houses processing plants, fuel tanks, water and sewage processing facilities, administrative buildings, and accommodations for workers. [3]
The mine is owned by a joint venture between the Rio Tinto and Dominion Diamond Corporation, and is operated by Diavik Diamond Mines Inc., a subsidiary of Rio Tinto Group. The lifespan of the mine is expected to be 16 to 22 years. Commercial production commenced in 2003.
The mine consists of four 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.[4] 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. Subsequent annual ice road resupply has been completed as planned.
In September 2012, Diavik completed construction of the Northwest Territories first large scale wind farm. The four turbine, 9.2 megawatt facility provides 11 per cent of the Diavik mine's annual power needs and operates at 97.5% availability. Diesel fuel offset is about 5 million litres per year. Diavik operates the world's largest wind diesel hybrid power facility at its remote off-grid mine. The wind farm, operationally to minus 40 degrees, sets a new benchmark in cold climate renewable energy.
In 2015, $US350 million was announced to fund development of a fourth kimberlite pipe ore body, known as A21. Construction of the A21 rockfill dike (like the other three ore bodies, A21 kiberlite pipe is under shallow waters of Lac de Gras) is expected to be complete in 2018 with first diamonds expected in the fall of that year. To build the dike, Diavik will use the same technologies as were used to build the A154 and A418 dikes.
In December 2015, Rio Tinto announced discovery of the 187.7 carat Diavik Foxfire diamond, one of the largest rough gem quality diamonds ever produced in Canada. The Diavik Foxfire was bestowed an indigenous name, Noi?eh Kwe, which, in the Tlicho First Nation language means caribou crossing stone.
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.[5][6] 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 was completed in September 2012.[7]
See also
References
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Diavik mine complex at NASA Earth Observatory
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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 978-1-4051-1317-5.
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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, Canada
- 1991 Discovery of Diamonds in the NWT
- Photos of Diavik Mine at Google Images
