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Mining
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De Beers has been in the business of mining and marketing rough diamonds for over 100 years and is the only company active in every category of diamond mining: open-pit, underground, alluvial, coastal and deep sea. In each of these categories, De Beers possess an unrivalled diamond mining and recovery expertise and remains the world's lowest cost-per-tonne diamond producer through the use of leading edge mining and processing technology.
In Canada, De Beers has two advanced projects, which are scheduled to begin production at the end of 2007.
The Snap Lake Diamond Project, located in the Northwest Territories, is wholly owned by De Beers and, once constructed, will be the first entirely underground diamond mine in Canada. The Snap Lake Diamond Project was granted a Class A Water License by the Federal Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs on May 31, 2004. This paved the way for the Project to proceed. Construction began with the opening of the winter road in February 2005. Construction will take close to three years, and the mine is expected to open at the end of the third quarter of 2007. To read more about the Snap Lake Diamond Project, click here.
The Victor Project, also wholly owned by De Beers is situated in Northern Ontario on the James Bay Coast. This will be an open-pit mine and will be Canada's first diamond mine outside of the NWT. The Victor Project received federal government approval in August 2005 and provincial government approval in October 2005 to permit the construction and operation of Ontario's first diamond mine. An Impact Benefits Agreement with Attawapiskat First Nation was formally signed in November 2005 and construction began shortly thereafter in February 2006. The Victor Mine is scheduled to move from the construction phase to operations and processing in March 2008. To read more about the Victor Project click here.
To find out more about De Beers' Southern African mines visit the De Beers Group website at www.debeersgroup.com.
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