Construction at Gahcho Kué is nearly complete

The Gahcho Kué diamond mine, NWT’s largest industrial construction project, is less than a year away from becoming the territory’s fourth producing mine. The project, jointly owned by De Beers Canada Inc (51%) and Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. (49%) was on track to be completed as planned. Construction is expected to be finished by the end of December 2015 and mine commissioning is to begin in January 2016. Production is scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2016. The mine is located at Kennady Lake, about 280 km northeast of Yellowknife and 80 km southeast of De Beers’ Snap Lake Mine. One of the largest and richest mine deposits in the world, Gahcho Kué is expected to produce about 4.5 million carats of high quality diamonds per year for 12 years. There are three kimberlites included in the mine plan – 5034, Hearne and Tuzo, which together have a probable mineral reserve of 55.5 million carats from 35.4 million tonnes of ore, grading at an average of 1.57 carats per tonne. 

There was a tremendous amount of construction activity to build the needed mine facilities. The project includes an administration facility, process plant, maintenance and warehouse facility, lined and bermed fuel tank farm, explosives storage and manufacturing facilities, and an airstrip. The accommodation facility is large enough to sleep 650 construction workers and the 400 mine employees who will run the mine. The mine will be re-supplied by truck via a 120-km winter road that follows the route established during the project’s exploration phase. It will be constructed each winter, connecting Gahcho Kué to the Tibbitt – Contwoyto winter road near the top end of MacKay Lake. Staffing changes will be handled by air from Yellowknife. CN