Ekati Diamond Mine
Encyclopedia
The EKATI Diamond Mine is Canada
's first surface and underground diamond mine
. It is located 310 kilometres (192.6 mi) north-east of Yellowknife
, Northwest Territories
, and about 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) south of the Arctic circle
, near Lac de Gras
. EKATI is a joint venture between BHP Billiton Canada Inc. (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.
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 is operated by BHP Billiton Canada Inc., a part of the BHP Billiton
Group, the world's largest diversified resources company.
, most of which lie underneath shallow lakes.
. As the high grade
ore close to surface was depleted, development was completed to access the ore utilizing underground methods. Currently, there is one underground operation (Koala) with open-cut mining occurring in Fox Pit.
Diamonds from the EKATI Mine are sold under the trade name Aurias. Authenticity is verified through the CanadaMark service, also operated by BHP Billiton Canada Inc.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's first surface and underground diamond mine
Diamond Mine
Diamond Mine is the second album by Blue Rodeo, released in 1989. It includes several instrumental interludes by Bob Wiseman between songs.-Track listing:All songs by Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy.#"Swells"#"God and Country" – 3:32#"How Long" – 3:59...
. It is located 310 kilometres (192.6 mi) north-east of Yellowknife
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Yellowknife is the capital and largest city of the Northwest Territories , Canada. It is located on the northern shore of Great Slave Lake, approximately south of the Arctic Circle, on the west side of Yellowknife Bay near the outlet of the Yellowknife River...
, Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
, and about 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) south of the Arctic circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
, near Lac de Gras
Lac de Gras
Lac de Gras is a lake approximately 300 km north of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. Lac de Gras was the centre of the Canadian diamond rush of the 1990s. There are two working diamond mines in the area, Ekati Diamond Mine, and Diavik Diamond Mine.It was called Ekati by aboriginal...
. EKATI is a joint venture between BHP Billiton Canada Inc. (80%), and the two geologists who discovered kimberlite
Kimberlite
Kimberlite is a type of potassic volcanic rock best known for sometimes containing diamonds. It is named after the town of Kimberley in South Africa, where the discovery of an diamond in 1871 spawned a diamond rush, eventually creating the Big Hole....
pipes north of Lac de Gras, Chuck Fipke and Stewart Blusson
Stewart Blusson
Stewart Lynn "Stu" Blusson, OC is a multimillionaire and philanthropist. He co-discovered billion-dollar Ekati Diamond Mine, 300 kilometres from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. He is President of Archon Minerals Ltd. In 2002, Blusson donated key start-up funds necessary for Quest...
each holding a 10% stake in the mine.
History
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 kimberliteKimberlite
Kimberlite is a type of potassic volcanic rock best known for sometimes containing diamonds. It is named after the town of Kimberley in South Africa, where the discovery of an diamond in 1871 spawned a diamond rush, eventually creating the Big Hole....
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 is operated by BHP Billiton Canada Inc., a part of the BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
Group, the world's largest diversified resources company.
Geology
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 fieldLac de Gras kimberlite field
The Lac de Gras kimberlite field is a group of Late Cretaceous to Eocene age diatremes in the Northwest Territories, Canada.The Eocene age diatremes of the Lac de Gras kimberlite field support two world-class diamond mines called Ekati and Diavik...
, most of which lie underneath shallow lakes.
Mining and marketing
Between 1998 and 2009, the mine has produced 45 million carats (8,000 kg / 17,636 lb) of diamonds out of six open pitsOpen-pit mining
Open-pit mining or opencast mining refers to a method of extracting rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow....
. As the high grade
High grading
The term high grading in forestry, fishing and mining relates to selectively harvesting goods, to “cut the best and leave the rest”. In mining, it can also be a term for theft.-Forestry:...
ore close to surface was depleted, development was completed to access the ore utilizing underground methods. Currently, there is one underground operation (Koala) with open-cut mining occurring in Fox Pit.
Diamonds from the EKATI Mine are sold under the trade name Aurias. Authenticity is verified through the CanadaMark service, also operated by BHP Billiton Canada Inc.
See also
- Hugo DummettHugo DummettHugo T. Dummett was a South African mineral-exploration geologist who is best known for his role in the discovery of the Ekati Diamond Mine in the Barren Lands of Canada's Northwest Territories...
of BHP, credited as co-discoverer of Ekati - Volcanism of Canada
- Volcanism of Northern CanadaVolcanism of Northern CanadaVolcanism of Northern Canada has led to the formation of hundreds of volcanic areas and extensive lava formations across Northern Canada, indicating volcanism played a major role in shaping its surface...
- Ekati AirportEkati AirportEkati Airport is located at the Ekati Diamond Mine, Northwest Territories, Canada and is operated by BHP Billiton Canada Inc. Prior permission is required to land except in the case of an emergency. It is a busy aerodrome with blasting in the area and barren-ground caribou may be found on the...
- Diavik Diamond MineDiavik Diamond MineThe Diavik Diamond Mine is a diamond mine in the North Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada, about north of Yellowknife.It has become an important part of the regional economy, employing 700, grossing C$100 million in sales, and producing 8 million carats of diamonds annually...
Further reading
- Kevin Krajick, Barren Lands: An Epic Search for Diamonds in the North American Arctic. 2001, Freeman/Henry Holt, ISBN 0716740265. 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 978-1405113175.
- Figures and captions from Chapter 17 are available at publisher's site
External links
- Ekati Diamond Mine at BHP BillitonBHP BillitonBHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
- History of EKATI
- Tour Canada from space: Ekati Diamond Mine at Canada Centre for Remote SensingCanada Centre for Remote SensingThe Canada Centre for Remote Sensing is a branch of Natural Resources Canada's Earth Science Sector. It was created in 1970 with Lawrence Morley as the first Director General...
- Ekati Mine photos and video at National Geographic
- Ekati Diamond Mine photos at Google Images
- Ekati Mine report at mining-technology.com. Includes a photo gallery.
- Ekati Diamond Mine at Natural Resources CanadaNatural Resources CanadaThe Department of Natural Resources , operating under the FIP applied title Natural Resources Canada , is the ministry of the government of Canada responsible for natural resources, energy, minerals and metals, forests, earth sciences, mapping and remote sensing...
. Details of environmental and socio-economic agreements signed by the mine. - Ekati Diamond Mine profile at BHP Billiton Watch
- CanadaMark