CALGARY, AB, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- De Beers Group today announces that its Victor and Snap Lake mines in Canada are entering the final stages of active closure, having commenced the active closure process in 2019 and 2022, respectively.
At Victor mine, located in the James Bay lowlands of Northern Ontario, most of the infrastructure has already been removed and over two-thirds of the site has been rehabilitated and revegetated. Following closure, De Beers Group will undertake long term monitoring of the site.
At Snap Lake mine, located approximately 220 km northeast of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, all of the mine’s infrastructure will be removed by the end of this year, and the site will be readied for targeted revegetation in 2024, followed by long-term monitoring.
Moses Madondo, Managing Director, De Beers Group Managed Operations, said: “We recognize that our responsibility to protect the land, water and wildlife extends across every aspect of our activities, from exploration through construction, production and beyond. We are immensely proud of the work we are doing to rehabilitate the Victor and Snap Lake sites and ensure they represent productive ecosystems for both people and wildlife. We are very pleased to continue to have Impact Benefit Agreement business partners significantly contributing to the safe closure activities at both these sites.”
Both closure projects received important regulatory approvals in December 2022. The Ontario Ministry of Mines accepted and filed Closure Plan Amendment 5 (CPA5) for Victor mine and the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans authorized establishment of a fish habitat pond on the site. Both CPA5 and the fish habitat pond were developed in collaboration with and incorporating input from the Attawapiskat First Nation.
The Mackenzie Valley Land & Water Board approved the Final Closure and Reclamation Plan for Snap Lake mine after nearly four years of public review including engagement with Indigenous communities. De Beers looks forward to finalizing the remaining closure criteria in the next few months.
Victor mine was Ontario’s first and only diamond mine and opened in July 2008. Snap Lake mine was Canada’s only entirely underground diamond mine and was De Beers’ first mine in Canada when it opened in July 2008.
De Beers employs more than 600 people in Canada. It is the operator of the joint venture Gahcho Kué mine in the NWT, has an active exploration team searching for new diamond deposits in Canada and is advancing the Chidliak Project on Baffin Island using FutureSmart Mining™ principles.
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