Operations
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 Jay project was approved for construction by the company in July 2016 and is the most significant undeveloped deposit at Ekati due to its large size and high grade. The timetable for the development of Jay includes road construction, which started in 2017; dike construction in 2019-2021; dewatering and start of pre-stripping in 2022; and mining and processing of Jay kimberlite by 2023.
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.
The Ekati mine is renowned for the premium gem quality diamonds it produces. The largest gem quality diamond produced to date at the mine is a 186-carat diamond from the Pigeon pit, which was recovered and sold in 2016. Cumulative production to January 2017 has totalled approximately 67.8 million carats.
This web page contains forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management’s expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that actual results may differ materially from those set forth herein and are referred to our Terms and Conditions for more information.