Vancouver, B.C., May 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- De Beers Group and Mountain Province Diamonds, Gahcho Kué Mine joint venture partners, are honoured to receive the 2022 TSM Community Engagement Excellence Award from the Mining Association of Canada (MAC). This is in recognition of the collaborative relationship between the mine and the Indigenous community members of Ni Hadi Xa (NHX).
Representatives from both companies and NHX were in Vancouver on May 2 to accept the award, as part of MAC’s Towards Sustainable Mining Program (TSM). TSM is a globally recognized sustainability program that supports mining companies in managing key environmental and social risks.
Moses Madondo, Managing Director of De Beers Group Managed Operations, said: “We recognize our responsibility to treasure nature and work with our host community partners to preserve and protect the land, air, water and wildlife around Gahcho Kué. Since 2014, Gahcho Kué and Ni Hadi Xa have collaborated to deliver world-class environmental management programs at the mine.”
Mark Wall, President and CEO, Mountain Province Diamonds, said: “The open, transparent relationship between Gahcho Kué and local Indigenous communities is the foundation for how we work at the mine. We want to thank Ni Hadi Xa and its community members for their contributions.”
Tom Unka, NHX Governance Committee Chair, said: “Gahcho Kué presented an opportunity to build a new kind of relationship with the mining companies and a new way of working together. Ni Hadi Xa means ‘people watching the land together’ in our local Chipewyan language and that is what we are doing at Gahcho Kué.”
As part of the NHX Agreement, Gahcho Kué provides annual funding to the organization to enable it to review environmental monitoring and management plans and reports, participate in adaptive environmental management, and conduct independent environmental and traditional knowledge monitoring. NHX’s indigenous signatory parties are Deninu Kué First Nation, North Slave Métis Alliance, Northwest Territory Métis Nation, Tłı̨chǫ̀ Government, Łutsel K'e Dene First Nation, and Yellowknives Dene First Nation.
The organization also has an environmental monitor who works alongside Gahcho Kué’s environment team. In addition, the group manages a remote cabin north of the mine site where traditional knowledge monitors carry out on-the-land monitoring activities and host community members who use the cabin for an On-the-Land Travel Program.
Gahcho Kué Mine also achieved ‘AAA’ standing in six key areas during the 2021 TSM Performance Report published by MAC. ‘AAA’ is the highest standard in the TSM rating system.
Gahcho Kué Mine is a joint venture between De Beers Group (51% - the Operator) and Mountain Province Diamonds (49%). The mine is located 280 km northeast of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories. The mine opened in 2016 and has a life of mine until 203
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