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Ekati Diamond Mine

Coordinates: 64°42′49″N 110°37′10″W / 64.71361°N 110.61944°W / 64.71361; -110.61944
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"Ekati" redirects here. For the airport, see Ekati Airport.

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
Ekati Diamond Mine is located in Northwest Territories
Ekati Diamond Mine
Ekati Diamond Mine
Location in Canada,
Ekati Diamond Mine is located in Canada
Ekati Diamond Mine
Ekati Diamond Mine
Ekati Diamond Mine (Canada)
LocationLac de Gras
TerritoryNorthwest Territories
CountryCanada
Coordinates64°42′49″N 110°37′10″W / 64.71361°N 110.61944°W / 64.71361; -110.61944
Production
ProductsDiamonds
History
Discovered1991
Opened1998
Owner
CompanyBurgundy Diamond Mines
Websiteburgundydiamonds.com

The Ekati Diamond Mine, often simply called Ekati, is Canada's first surface and underground diamond mine[1] and is owned by Burgundy Diamond Mines. It is located 310 km (190 mi) north-east of Yellowknife,[2] Northwest Territories, and about 200 km (120 mi) south of the Arctic Circle, near Lac de Gras. Until 2014, Ekati was a joint venture between Dominion Diamond Mines (80%), Chuck Fipke, and Stewart Blusson, the two geologists who discovered kimberlite pipes north of Lac de Gras. Fipke and Blusson each held 10% stake in the mine, until Fipke sold his share to Dominion.[3][1] In 2021, Arctic Canadian Diamond Company Ltd. acquired the Ekati Diamond Mine with associated assets and liabilities from Dominion Diamond Mines. In July 2023, Burgundy Diamond Mines purchased full control of Arctic Canadian Diamond Company.[4]

History

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The first volcanic pipe found in the Lac de Gras region was the Point Lake kimberlite,[5] 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.[1] 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.[6] 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. Since the opening until 2017, the mine produced around 67,800,000 carats (13,560 kg; 29,890 lb) of diamonds and is still in production.

As of July 2023, the mine has been owned by Burgundy Diamond Mines.[4] There are currently three underground kimberlites (Koala, Koala North, and Panda) and the rest are mined by surface mining. As of 2024, the active operations include Sable and Misery underground with Point Lake ready to go into production as an open pits later in the year.

Geology

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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.

Mining and marketing

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Between 1998 and 2009, the mine has produced 40,000,000 carats (8,000 kg; 18,000 lb) of diamonds out of six open pits.[1] As the high grade ore close to surface was depleted, development was completed to access the ore utilizing underground methods. The mine's current annual production is estimated to be approximately 7,500,000 carats (1,500 kg; 3,310 lb) of diamonds.[7]

There are numerous options to extend the mine life at Ekati through 2028 including continuation of Misery underground at depth, evaluation alternatives for expansion at Point Lake, transforming Sable to an underground operation following open pit completion, exploring Fox as an underground opportunity and maximizing resources in the Fox stockpile. In addition, the underwater remote mining provides additional opportunities to extract diamonds through kimberlite pipes with a trial that will start at Lynx pit in 2025.

Transportation

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Mine workers fly-in fly-out through Ekati Airport.

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Ekati site
  • The mining near the Lac de Gras lakes needs the construction of Frozen Dam Cores with heat pipes for creating permafrost. Here, this artificially created frozen ground prevents seepage from a containment pond for tailings.
    The mining near the Lac de Gras lakes needs the construction of Frozen Dam Cores with heat pipes for creating permafrost. Here, this artificially created frozen ground prevents seepage from a containment pond for tailings.
  • Heat pipes keep ground frozen and inhibit water transfer into the open pit during mining activities in July 1989.
    Heat pipes keep ground frozen and inhibit water transfer into the open pit during mining activities in July 1989.
  • Metasequoia wood from 53 million years BP, recovered from a kimberlite pipe at Ekati Diamond Mine.
    Metasequoia wood from 53 million years BP, recovered from a kimberlite pipe at Ekati Diamond Mine.

See also

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b c d Zlotnikoc, Dan (November 2008). "A norther star - Canada's first diamond mine celebrates a milestone". CIM Magazine. 3 (7). Montreal, Canada: 40–43. ISSN 1718-4177.
  2. ^ "Harry Winston buying Ekati mine for $500M US". November 13, 2012. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  3. ^ Koven, Peter. "Life after Ekati: Legendary Canadian geologist Chuck Fipke gears up for more exploration". Financial Post. Archived from the original on January 4, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  4. ^ a b Dulewich, Jenna (July 7, 2023). "Ekati sale official, new owners hopeful the future is bright". Archived from the original on July 8, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  5. ^ Erlich, E., Dan Hausel, W. (2002) Diamond deposits: origin, exploration, and history of discovery. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc. (SME), Littleton, CO.
  6. ^ Danielson, Vivian (January 6, 2009). "The Northern Miner 1998 "Mining Man of the Year" Hugo Dummett". The Northern Miner. Archived from the original on December 29, 2010. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  7. ^ Zimnisky, Paul (January 22, 2013). "The state of 2013 global rough diamond supply". Resource Investor. Archived from the original on January 28, 2013. Retrieved February 4, 2013.

References

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Further reading

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  • Kevin Krajick, Barren Lands: An Epic Search for Diamonds in the North American Arctic. 2001, Freeman/Henry Holt, ISBN 0-7167-4026-5. Review at Smithsonian Magazine
  • 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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