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Coordinates: 63°36′20″N 110°52′00″W / 63.60556°N 110.86667°W / 63.60556; -110.86667
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{{short description|Diamond mine in the Northwest Territories of Canada operated by De Beers from 2008-2015}}
{{refimprove|date=December 2007}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2011}}
{{Infobox Mine
{{Infobox mine
⚫
| name = Snap Lake Diamond Mine
| image = Snap Lake mine in Feb.jpg
| name = Snap Lake Mine
| image = Snap Lake mine in Feb.jpg
| width = 300px
| width =
| caption = A mining truck exiting the mine portal, winter 2006
| caption = A mining truck exiting the mine portal, winter 2006
| location =
| pushpin_map = Canada
| lat = 63.605556
⚫
| pushpin_label = Snap Lake Diamond Mine
| long = -110.866667
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Canada
⚫
| place = {{convert|220|km|mi}} northeast of [[Yellowknife]]
⚫
| coordinates = {{coord|63|36|20|N|110|52|00|W|region:CA-NT|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
⚫
| place = {{convert|220|km|abbr=on}} northeast of [[Yellowknife]]
| subdivision_type = [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Territory]]
| subdivision_type = [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Territory]]
| state/province = [[Northwest Territories]]
| state/province = [[Northwest Territories]]
| country = [[Canada]]
| country = Canada
| owner = [[De Beers]]
| owner = [[De Beers]]
| official website = http://www.debeerscanada.com/files_3/snap-lake-mine.php
| official website = {{URL|https://canada.debeersgroup.com/}}
| acquisition year = 2000
| acquisition year = 2001
⚫
| products = [[Diamonds]]
| stock_exchange =
⚫
| financial year =
| stock_code =
| opening year = 2008
⚫
| products = [[Diamond]]s
| active years = 2008 - 2015
⚫
| financial year = Annually
⚫
| closing year =
| amount = 1.1 million tonnes of ore
| opening year = 2007
| discovery year =
⚫
| closing year =
}}
}}
⚫
[[File:Snap Lake Diamond Mine Processing Plant.jpg|thumb||Two [[loader (equipment)|loader]]s work outside the ore processing and recovery plant.]]


The '''Snap Lake Diamond Mine''' is located about {{convert|220|km|mi}} northeast of [[Yellowknife]], [[Northwest Territories]], and, according to [[De Beers]], was their first [[Mining|mine]] outside [[Africa]] and [[Canada]]'s first completely underground [[diamond]] mine.<ref name="debeers">{{cite web|url= http://www.debeerscanada.com/files_2/snap_lake/factsheet.html |title= Snap Lake: Project Factsheet|publisher= De Beers Canada|date= 2009-05-28|accessdate= 2009-08-13}}</ref>
'''Snap Lake Mine''' was a remote fly-in/fly-out operation located about {{convert|220|km|abbr=on}} northeast of [[Yellowknife]], [[Northwest Territories]], and, according to [[De Beers]], was the first De Beers [[Mining|mine]] outside of Africa. It was also Canada's first completely underground diamond mine.<ref name="debeers">{{cite web|url= http://www.debeerscanada.com/files_2/snap_lake/factsheet.html|title= Snap Lake: Project Factsheet|publisher= De Beers Canada|date= May 28, 2009|access-date= August 13, 2009|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120424060707/http://www.debeerscanada.com/files_3/snap-lake-mine.php|archive-date= April 24, 2012|df= mdy-all}}</ref>


Construction began with the opening of an access winter road in 2005. At the end of 2009, DeBeers had spent USD$1.4 billion dollars on construction and mine operation. Of that total, DeBeers spent USD$977 million with Northwest Territories-based contractors and suppliers, including USD$630 million with Aboriginal businesses or Joint Ventures.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.debeerscanada.com/files_3/snap-lake-mine.php |title=Snap Lake Mine |publisher=DeBeers}}</ref>
Construction began with the opening of an access winter road in 2005. By the end of 2013, De Beers had spent US$1.8&nbsp;billion on construction and mine operation. Of that total, De Beers spent US$1.3&nbsp;billion with Northwest Territories-based contractors and suppliers, including US$723&nbsp;million with Aboriginal businesses or joint ventures.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.debeerscanada.com/files_3/snap-lake-mine.php |title=Snap Lake Mine |publisher=DeBeers |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120424060707/http://www.debeerscanada.com/files_3/snap-lake-mine.php |archive-date=April 24, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>


The mine began commercial production on January 16, 2008 and was officially opened on July 25, 2008. In 2007, De Beers said they planned to employ 500 people, with 250 people working in the mine at any given moment.<ref name="debeers"/> Lifetime of the mine is estimated to be 20 years. De Beers expects to produce 1.1 million [[tonne]]s (1.2 million short tons) annually with {{convert|1.2|carat|mg}} per metric ton.<ref name="debeers"/>
The mine began commercial production on January 16, 2008 and was officially opened on July 25, 2008. In 2013, Snap Lake Mine provided 776 person years of employment, including 274 person years of employment to Northwest Territories residents, close to the 300 NWT resident employees predicted during the mine’s environmental assessment. Approximately 400 people are working at the mine on any given day. Lifetime of the mine was estimated to be about 15 years. Resource estimates suggest 16.1 million carats over life of mine.<ref>{{cite web|title=De Beers Analyst Seminar|url=http://www.angloamerican.com/~/media/Files/A/Anglo-American-PLC-V2/presentations/2014pres/de-beers-analyst-seminar-presentation.pdf|website=Anglo American|accessdate=3 November 2014}}</ref>
⚫
The Snap Lake mine was featured in ''[[Ice Road Truckers]]'', a television series on [[The History Channel]]. The Snap Lake mine was also featured on the Canadian Discovery channel show [[Daily Planet]] as part of the special feature 'Daily Planet Goes North - More Ice for the Arctic'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://broadband.discoverychannel.ca/?vid=20671|title=Daily Planet Goes North - More Ice for the Arctic|publisher=Discovery Channel|accessdate=2008-02-22}}</ref>


⚫
The Snap Lake mine was featured in ''[[Ice Road Truckers]]'', a television series on [[History (U.S. TV channel)|The History Channel]]. The Snap Lake mine was also featured on the Canadian Discovery channel show [[Daily Planet]] as part of the special feature 'Daily Planet Goes North – More Ice for the Arctic'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://broadband.discoverychannel.ca/?vid=20671|title=Daily Planet Goes North – More Ice for the Arctic|publisher=Discovery Channel|accessdate=February 22, 2008}}</ref>
The mine is served by the [[Snap Lake Airport]].

The mine was served by the [[Snap Lake Airport]], a private airport that was strictly for cargo and passengers entering and leaving the remote site.

==Closure==
On December 4, 2015, De Beers announced that due to a drop in the market price of diamonds and a necessary costly license exemption they would stop production of diamonds at the Snap Lake Mine, putting it into "care and maintenance" state so that it could be re-opened at a later date if so desired. Approximately 70 employees would remain on the site as a result, but 434 were laid off.<ref>{{cite web|title=N.W.T.'s Snap Lake diamond mine halts operation, De Beers says|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/n-w-t-s-snap-lake-diamond-mine-to-cease-operations-immediately-1.3350770|website=CBC.ca|accessdate=4 December 2015}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
⚫
[[File:Snap Lake Diamond Mine Processing Plant.jpg|thumb|Two [[loader (equipment)|loader]]s work outside the ore processing and recovery plant.]]
*[[Ekati Diamond Mine]]
*[[Ekati Diamond Mine]]
*[[Diavik Diamond Mine ]]
*[[Diavik Diamond Mine]]
*[[Volcanism of Northern Canada]]
*[[Volcanism of Northern Canada]]

== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.wired.com/science/planetearth/magazine/16-12/ff_diamonds_sb "Digging for Diamonds 24/7 Under Frozen Snap Lake"], ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'', 11.24.08
* [https://www.wired.com/science/planetearth/magazine/16-12/ff_diamonds_sb "Digging for Diamonds 24/7 Under Frozen Snap Lake"], ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'', November 24, 2008
*[http://www.debeerscanada.com/files_3/image-galleries-snap-lake-mine.php Photo gallery] at [[De Beers Canada]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091114130932/http://debeerscanada.com/files_3/image-galleries-snap-lake-mine.php Photo gallery] at [[De Beers Canada]]
*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrfuller/sets/72057594132472740/with/144903107/ Snap Lake project], gallery at [[Flickr]]
*[https://www.flickr.com/photos/mrfuller/sets/72057594132472740/with/144903107/ Snap Lake project], gallery at [[Flickr]]

⚫
{{coord|63|36|20|N|110|52|00|W|region:CA-NT_type:landmark|display=title}}


{{Mining-stub}}
{{NorthwestTerritories-geo-stub}}


{{Anglo American plc}}


[[Category:Diamond mines in Canada]]
[[Category:Diamond mines in Canada]]
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[[Category:Underground mines in Canada]]
[[Category:Underground mines in Canada]]
[[Category:De Beers]]
[[Category:De Beers]]
[[Category:2008 establishments in the Northwest Territories]]

[[de:Snap-Lake-Diamantenmine]]

Latest revision as of 02:41, 21 October 2024

Snap Lake Mine
A mining truck exiting the mine portal, winter 2006
Location
Snap Lake Diamond Mine is located in Canada
Snap Lake Diamond Mine
Snap Lake Diamond Mine
Location in Canada
Location220 km (140 mi) northeast of Yellowknife
TerritoryNorthwest Territories
CountryCanada
Coordinates63°36′20″N 110°52′00″W / 63.60556°N 110.86667°W / 63.60556; -110.86667
Production
ProductsDiamonds
History
Opened2008
Active2008 - 2015
Owner
CompanyDe Beers
Websitecanada.debeersgroup.com
Year of acquisition2001

Snap Lake Mine was a remote fly-in/fly-out operation located about 220 km (140 mi) northeast of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, and, according to De Beers, was the first De Beers mine outside of Africa. It was also Canada's first completely underground diamond mine.[1]

Construction began with the opening of an access winter road in 2005. By the end of 2013, De Beers had spent US$1.8 billion on construction and mine operation. Of that total, De Beers spent US$1.3 billion with Northwest Territories-based contractors and suppliers, including US$723 million with Aboriginal businesses or joint ventures.[2]

The mine began commercial production on January 16, 2008 and was officially opened on July 25, 2008. In 2013, Snap Lake Mine provided 776 person years of employment, including 274 person years of employment to Northwest Territories residents, close to the 300 NWT resident employees predicted during the mine’s environmental assessment. Approximately 400 people are working at the mine on any given day. Lifetime of the mine was estimated to be about 15 years. Resource estimates suggest 16.1 million carats over life of mine.[3]

The Snap Lake mine was featured in Ice Road Truckers, a television series on The History Channel. The Snap Lake mine was also featured on the Canadian Discovery channel show Daily Planet as part of the special feature 'Daily Planet Goes North – More Ice for the Arctic'.[4]

The mine was served by the Snap Lake Airport, a private airport that was strictly for cargo and passengers entering and leaving the remote site.

Closure

[edit]

On December 4, 2015, De Beers announced that due to a drop in the market price of diamonds and a necessary costly license exemption they would stop production of diamonds at the Snap Lake Mine, putting it into "care and maintenance" state so that it could be re-opened at a later date if so desired. Approximately 70 employees would remain on the site as a result, but 434 were laid off.[5]

See also

[edit]
Two loaders work outside the ore processing and recovery plant.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Snap Lake: Project Factsheet". De Beers Canada. May 28, 2009. Archived from the original on April 24, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2009.
  2. ^ "Snap Lake Mine". DeBeers. Archived from the original on April 24, 2012.
  3. ^ "De Beers Analyst Seminar" (PDF). Anglo American. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
  4. ^ "Daily Planet Goes North – More Ice for the Arctic". Discovery Channel. Retrieved February 22, 2008.
  5. ^ "N.W.T.'s Snap Lake diamond mine halts operation, De Beers says". CBC.ca. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
[edit]
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