Mining in Canada

The Diamond Industry

Canada's profits dropped in 2011 and began to rise significantly in 2014, and profits were relativity the same between 2016-2018. In 2019, as mines age and the number of diamonds produced decline, profits are dropping.

The Diamond Industry's History

In 1991, two Geologists came across Kimberlite pipes North of Yellowknife, and the first commercial mine was produced in 1998. Many rushed to mark their territory, and lumber sales rose as people purchased more and more wooden steaks. By 2006 three major mines had been established each producing millions of carats of diamond per year, making Canada the third biggest producer of diamonds worldwide. Canada's diamond industry racks up billions of dollars and is vital to the economy. Canada's diamond industry abides by very strict environmental rules, which makes them more desirable to buyers. In more recent years Ontario's Victor open-pit mine has been developed, and produces some of the most expensive and high quality diamonds in the world. There is one more diamond mine in Canada, located in Nunavut it is known as the Jericho Diamond Mine. Canada's mines are currently in trouble, specifically the ones that have been established for a longer amount of time. In the Northwest Territories, Ekati and Diavik are early established sister mines that are old and running out of diamonds, and the mines set to replace them aren't doing much better.

Location

Kimberlite

Legend for Diamond Mine Locations Map

There are seven diamond mines located in Canada, five are in the Northwest Territories, one is in Nunavut and one is in Ontario. There are other mines situated in Canada that are not included on this Map (ex. Renard Mine, Quebec)

  • The Diavik Mine is located 300km Northeast of Yellowknife, the Lac de Gras mine is part of the Diviak company and is an adjoining mine
  • The Ekati Mine is located 10 km from the Diavik mine
  • The Snap Lake Mine is located 220km northeast of Yellowknife
  • The Jericho Mine is located in Nunavut and is around 420km from Yellowknife
  • The Victor Mine is located 90km west of Attawapiskat in Northern Ontario
  • The Gahcho Kue Mine is located at Kennady Lake in the Northwest Territories

Diamonds are found in Igneous rocks and Kimberlite. Kimberlite is a rare igneous rock with a blue tint that sometimes contains diamonds. It is coarse, rough and grainy. Diamond mines can be found in Sedimentary Rocks, Intrusive and Metamorphic Rocks and Plutons. They are usually found in cratons (part of the Earth's crust) that are hundreds and millions of years old. Under certain temperatures (2000-2200 F) and high pressure (at least 725,000 pounds/in2), diamonds can form in the mineral and crystal deposits in igneous rock. Diamonds form when carbon atoms bond compactly, which gives the diamond its hard structure.

Diamond Mine Locations in Canada

Mining and Manufacturing Process

All of Canada's main diamond mines are open-pit. Diamond deposits are created in cracks in the Earth's crust, the open-pit exposes those deposits making it easier to extract the diamonds. First, miners detonate the rim of the pit, widening its diameter. Next, the renaming stones and gravel are separated and transported for sorting and extraction in facilities. The last form of mining in this process is conducted in a more standardised form; miners go down into the funnel and mine on a diagonal until they reach the more narrow points of the pit. As miners reach the bottom, they may begin to mine underground, depending on the depth, state and stability of the mine.

Open-pit diamond mine

Canada produces millions of carats a year. These diamonds are mainly used for jewellery such as rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more. Diamonds represent eternity, strength, stability and love, which is why diamond rings are associated so closely with marriage to the point where they greatly influence the social/romance world. Diamonds can also be embedded in power tools such as saws, grinding wheels and drills in order to strengthen the blade.

Diamond Ring

Diamonds' Ecological and Economical Impact/Value

As stated earlier Canada's diamonds rack up billions of dollars and are great for the economy, but the Canadian diamond industry is facing a supply gap. Overall, the Canadian Diamond industry exports around 13 million carats yearly, and Canada's exports bring in around 2.4 billion dollars (2015 statistics), which is around 1% of the money Canada makes from exporting natural resources. The lack of diamonds in both quantity and quality will impact the economy greatly. The diamond industry also creates jobs for Miners, Transporters, Diamond Polishers/Cutters, Gemologists, Technicians, Equipment Operators, Lapidarists. Since diamonds are mainly extracted by open-pit mining, diamond mining can come with some devastating environmental impacts. Open-pit mining can contaminate ground water, lower biodiversity rates, increase soil erosion due to added exposure and can increase the odds of sinkholes occurring. Canadian Miners and Ecologists work hard to avoid these issues by using special tools and testing mines and sites to ensure that they aren't doing more damage than they feel is necessary, which is yet another reason why Canadian diamonds are so desirable.

Sources

Canada's profits dropped in 2011 and began to rise significantly in 2014, and profits were relativity the same between 2016-2018. In 2019, as mines age and the number of diamonds produced decline, profits are dropping.

Kimberlite

Legend for Diamond Mine Locations Map

Open-pit diamond mine

Diamond Ring