Ekati Diamond Mine
Ekati mine aerial view, August 2010. Four open pits on four kimberlite pipes may be seen, along with the Ekati airport.
|
|
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Location | Lac de Gras |
| Territory | Northwest Territories |
| Country | Canada |
| Coordinates | 64°42′49″N 110°37′10″W / 64.71361°N 110.61944°WCoordinates: 64°42′49″N 110°37′10″W / 64.71361°N 110.61944°W |
| Production | |
| Products | Diamonds |
| History | |
| Opened | 1998 |
| Owner | |
| Company |
Dominion Diamond Corporation (80%), Charles E. Fipke (10%), Stewart Blusson (10%) |
| Website | www.ddcorp.ca |
The Ekati Diamond Mine ("Ekati") is Canada's first surface and underground diamond mine. It is located 310 km (190 mi) north-east of Yellowknife,Northwest Territories, and about 200 km (120 mi) south of the Arctic circle, near Lac de Gras. Ekati is a joint venture between Dominion Diamond Corporation (80%), and the two geologists who discovered kimberlite pipes north of Lac de Gras, Chuck Fipke and Stewart Blusson each holding a 10% stake in the mine.
The first volcanic pipe found in the Lac de Gras region was the Point Lake kimberlite, discovered by Chuck Fipke and Stewart Blusson who had been prospecting in the region for almost ten years, having found kimberlite indicator minerals as early as 1985. The Point Lake kimberlite was determined to be uneconomic, but its discovery precipitated one of largest staking rushes in mining history, covering most of the area between Yellowknife and the Arctic coast. There are 156 known kimberlite pipes within the Ekati block of claims, including the Point Lake pipe. Ekati officially began operations on October 14, 1998, and was operated by BHP Billiton Canada Inc., a part of the BHP Billiton Group, the world's largest diversified resources company.
As of November 2012 the mine was expected to operate for another seven years.
On November 13, 2012, CBC reported that the Harry Winston Diamond Corporation (now: Dominion Diamond Corporation), 40% owners of Diavik Diamond Mine, would buy Ekati for US$500 million. The current employees of BHP Billiton at the site in Yellowknife and Antwerp will continue to be employed by Harry Winston.
Diamonds at the Ekati site are found in 45- to 62-million-year-old kimberlite pipes (Creaser et al., 2004) of the Lac de Gras kimberlite field, most of which lie underneath shallow lakes.
...
Wikipedia