A platform for sustained, disciplined growth in the upstream diamond sector
Arctic Canadian Diamond Company Ltd. is a Canadian mining company and one of the world’s largest producers and suppliers of premium rough diamond assortments to the global market. The company owns a controlling interest in the Ekati Diamond Mine, which it operates. The company also holds a controlling interest in the Lac de Gras Diamond Project. The Ekati Diamond Mine, and the Lac de Gras Diamond Project are located in Canada’s Northwest Territories. In addition to its mining and exploration operations, Arctic Canadian Diamond Company Ltd. has offices in Canada and Belgium.
Ekati Diamond Mine
The Ekati Diamond Mine (named after the Tlicho word meaning ‘fat lake’) is Canada’s first surface and underground diamond mine.
It officially began production in October 1998, following extensive exploration and development work dating back to 1981. Like Diavik, the Ekati mine site is located in the Lac de Gras region of the Northwest Territories, approximately 300 kilometers northeast of Yellowknife.
The company operates the Ekati Diamond Mine in which it owns a controlling interest. Over the mine’s early years, production was focused on six open pits (Beartooth, Fox, Koala, Koala North, Misery, and Panda) and three underground operations (Koala, Koala North, and Panda).
As of 2018, Koala, Lynx, Misery, Pigeon, and Sable are the actively mined pipes. Lynx, Pigeon, and Sable are open pit operations, while Koala is an underground operation. Misery operations will transition from open pit to underground mining in 2018, subject to permitting approvals.
The current mine life of Ekati, including the Misery underground and the Jay project, is 2034. Several exploration and project evaluation activities are ongoing, including the Fox Deep project which would extend the life of Ekati to 2042.
Diamond Sorting & Selling
The Company maximizes the sales value of its rough stones from the Ekati Diamond Mine and maintains a preferred position as a supplier of rough diamonds to the world’s diamond manufacturers (cutters and polishers) by dealing directly with them and tailoring rough diamond parcels to the client’s particular needs.