Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Ekati Diamond Mine
open-in-new
<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>The first <a href="/facts/Volcanic_pipe/qtfSfHH1">volcanic pipe</a> found in the <a href="/facts/Lac_de_Gras/hqw2sXVw">Lac de Gras</a> region was the <a href="/facts/Point_Lake/aKRb59zE">Point Lake</a> kimberlite,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> discovered by Chuck Fipke and Stewart Blusson who had been prospecting in the region for almost ten years, having found <a href="/facts/Kimberlite/y56KRjuR">kimberlite</a> indicator minerals as early as 1985.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> 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 <a href="/facts/Arctic_Ocean/l6HS3QyV">Arctic coast</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> 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 <a href="/facts/BHP/KIj8E6Nh">BHP</a>. Since the opening until 2017, the mine produced around 67,800,000 <a href="/facts/Carat_(mass)/d2jIjtSs">carats</a> (13,560 kg; 29,890 lb) of diamonds and is still in production. </p><p>As of July 2023, the mine has been owned by <a href="/facts/Burgundy_Diamond_Mines/r7SEwIgY">Burgundy Diamond Mines</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> There are currently three underground kimberlites (Koala, Koala North, and Panda) and the rest are mined by surface mining.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> As of 2024, the active operations include Sable and Misery underground with Point Lake ready to go into production as an <a href="/facts/Open-pit_mining/IvTLjU41">open pits</a> later in the year. </p> <h2 id="geology">Geology</h2> <p>Diamonds at the Ekati site are found in 45- to 62-million-year-old kimberlite pipes (Creaser et al., 2004) of the <a href="/facts/Lac_de_Gras_kimberlite_field/Lq6NS3F4">Lac de Gras kimberlite field</a>, most of which lie underneath shallow lakes. </p> <h2 id="mining-and-marketing">Mining and marketing</h2> <p>Between 1998 and 2009, the mine has produced 40,000,000 <a href="/facts/Carat_(mass)/d2jIjtSs">carats</a> (8,000 kg; 18,000 lb) of diamonds out of six <a href="/facts/Open-pit_mining/IvTLjU41">open pits</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> As the <a href="/facts/High_grading/ysNa3qTq">high grade</a> ore close to surface was depleted, development was completed to access the ore utilizing <a href="/facts/Underground_hard-rock_mining/w7oT1MWl">underground methods</a>. The mine's current annual production is estimated to be approximately 7,500,000 carats (1,500 kg; 3,310 lb) of diamonds.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> </p><p>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 <a href="/facts/Point_Lake/aKRb59zE">Point Lake</a>, 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. </p> <h2 id="transportation">Transportation</h2> <p>Mine workers <a href="/facts/Fly-in_fly-out/9Mnbjkh7">fly-in fly-out</a> through <a href="/facts/Ekati_Airport/J1Bv0PR8">Ekati Airport</a>. </p> <h2 id="gallery">Gallery</h2> Ekati site <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Hugo_Dummett/Cl5zlmuD">Hugo Dummett</a> of BHP, credited as co-discoverer of Ekati</li> <li><a href="/facts/Volcanism_of_Canada/XN50Id7t">Volcanism of Canada</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Volcanism_of_Northern_Canada/UI8SeJ5w">Volcanism of Northern Canada</a></li></ul> <h2 id="footnotes">Footnotes</h2> <ul><li>Creaser, R.A. et al., 2004. "Macrocrystal phlogopite Rb-Sr dates for the Ekati property kimberlites, Slave Province, Canada: evidence for multiple intrusive episodes in the Paleocene and Eocene", <i>8th International Kimberlite Conference Selected Papers</i>, vol. 1, pp. 399–414.</li> <li>Abraham, Carolyn, October 11, 2006. "<a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/science/x-marks-the-spotlight-for-elusive-benefactor/article1107687/">X marks the spotlight for elusive benefactor</a>", <a href="/facts/Globe_%2526_Mail/kMbbpJ8z">Globe & Mail</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20061012045623/http://brysonburke.com/people_stuart_blusson.html">Stuart Blusson from the GSC to Ekati</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.bhpbilliton.com/bbContentRepository/docs/dsp2009YearInReview.pdf">"EKATI Diamond Mine 2009 Year in Review"</a> (PDF). BHP Billiton Canada Inc. 2009. Retrieved June 4, 2010.]</li></ul> <h2 id="further-reading">Further reading</h2> <ul><li>Kevin Krajick, <i>Barren Lands: An Epic Search for Diamonds in the North American Arctic.</i> 2001, Freeman/Henry Holt, <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-7167-4026-5. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20020212002033/http://www.smithsonianmag.si.edu/smithsonian/issues02/feb02/book_review.html">Review</a> at <a href="/facts/Smithsonian_Magazine/HsMAFa10">Smithsonian Magazine</a></li> <li>Chapter 17. Diamond Exploration – Ekati and Diavik Mines, Canada by Charles J. Moon (<a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=PWX2GGdc-a0C&dq=%22Hugo+Dummett%22+BHP&pg=PA431">Google Books preview</a> ) in Charles J. Moon, M. K. G. Whateley, Anthony M. Evans, <i>Introduction to Mineral Exploration, 2nd Edition</i>. 2006, Wiley-Blackwell. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 978-1-4051-1317-5. <ul><li>Figures and captions from Chapter 17 are available at <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120117223950/http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-EHEP000992.html">publisher's site</a></li></ul></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://burgundydiamonds.com/ekati-mine/">Official website</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.canadamark.com/">CanadaMark</a>+</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>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. <a href="/wiki/Montreal" target="_blank">/wiki/Montreal</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Harry Winston buying Ekati mine for $500M US". November 13, 2012. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2024. <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/harry-winston-buying-ekati-mine-for-500m-us-1.1267147" target="_blank">https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/harry-winston-buying-ekati-mine-for-500m-us-1.1267147</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Brooke Clements; The Canadian Diamond Business: 25 Years and Going Strong. SEG Discovery 2017;; (108): 1–18. doi: https://doi.org/10.5382/SEGnews.2017-108.fea <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>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. <a href="http://business.financialpost.com/news/mining/legendary-geologist-chuck-fipke-reflects-on-ekati-discovery-as-he-sells-remaining-stake" target="_blank">http://business.financialpost.com/news/mining/legendary-geologist-chuck-fipke-reflects-on-ekati-discovery-as-he-sells-remaining-stake</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>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. <a href="/wiki/Montreal" target="_blank">/wiki/Montreal</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>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. <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/ekati-sale-burgundy-diamond-1.6899483" target="_blank">https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/ekati-sale-burgundy-diamond-1.6899483</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Erlich, E., Dan Hausel, W. (2002) Diamond deposits: origin, exploration, and history of discovery. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc. (SME), Littleton, CO. <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>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. <a href="/wiki/Montreal" target="_blank">/wiki/Montreal</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>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. <a href="https://www.republicofmining.com/2009/01/06/the-northern-miner-1998-%E2%80%9Cmining-man-of-the-year%E2%80%9D-hugo-dummett-%E2%80%93-by-vivian-danielson/" target="_blank">https://www.republicofmining.com/2009/01/06/the-northern-miner-1998-%E2%80%9Cmining-man-of-the-year%E2%80%9D-hugo-dummett-%E2%80%93-by-vivian-danielson/</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>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. <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/ekati-sale-burgundy-diamond-1.6899483" target="_blank">https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/ekati-sale-burgundy-diamond-1.6899483</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Jakubec, J, Lagace, D, Boggis, B, Clark, LM & Lewis, PA 2018, 'Underground mining at Ekati and Diavik diamond mines', in Y Potvin & J Jakubec (eds), Caving 2018: Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposium on Block and Sublevel Caving, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 73-88, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1815_03_Jakubec <a href="https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1815_03_Jakubec" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1815_03_Jakubec</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>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. <a href="/wiki/Montreal" target="_blank">/wiki/Montreal</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>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. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130128044054/http://www.resourceinvestor.com/2013/01/22/the-state-of-2013-global-rough-diamond-supply" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20130128044054/http://www.resourceinvestor.com/2013/01/22/the-state-of-2013-global-rough-diamond-supply</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>