By Glenn Hicks

DIAMOND MINING

Diamond mine project east of P.A. still years away

Feb 7, 2019 | 8:00 AM

A decision on whether a long-discussed diamond mine will happen at Fort à la Corne, east of Prince Albert, may still be years away.

Rio Tinto, the mining giant that has committed millions of dollars into exploration work on the Star Diamond Corporation site, hosted the first in a series of public open houses in Prince Albert Wednesday evening.

The purpose of the public display was to explain the process going forward and to have representatives available to answer the public’s questions and receive comments.

Hard numbers stick in people’s minds and they may well be disappointed if those numbers don’t happen_{– Gary Hodgkinson, Rio Tinto}

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Rio Tinto’s project director Gary Hodgkinson said it was important to be careful about making any assurances to the public “because hard numbers stick in people’s minds and they may well be disappointed if those numbers don’t happen.”

“We are taking it one step at a time and the first is to demonstrate we have economic potential,” he told paNOW. “We’re at that time now when we’re taking really big samples and that will get us to our first step to say yes they’re economical or no they’re not, and then we’ll be able to have a clear decision point.”

The economic challenges facing the project are no secret. The site contains some of the biggest kimberlites in the world, but they’re also very low grade and they are buried under very deep overburden.

Several displays outlining the exploration project were on show to about 150 people who attended.(Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

The open house attracted around 150 people, most of whom were either seeking job opportunities or offering various services. There will be some work generated around the bulk sampling of the kimberlites this year and the processing of the huge amount of debris that Rio Tinto will extract with their giant trench cutter rigs. A rectangular trench up to 250 metres deep will be made.

However Hodgkinson said definitive results of the extraction work won’t be available in the short term.

“We are still in the process of testing this technology …and we have to process the sample and then analyze the results, so it would be remiss of me to say we’ll have clarity by the end of this year.” he said. “Within the next couple of years we’ll have a good feel [of things].”

Project director Gary Hodgkinson made his way around the room and spoke to people about the process in the coming year.(Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

George Read represents Star Diamond Corporation, the owners of the deposit which has a deal with Rio Tinto to share a sizeable stake in the project. He was delighted with the turnout to the open house.

“Fantastic enthusiasm, and I think people see an opportunity in the project,” he said.

Despite years of talk and little significant action on a project that has been at least 20 years in the making, Read remains positive about the prospects.

George Read with Star Diamond Corporation was among the representatives to answer the public’s questions.(Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

“There are no other projects in the world, in what we would deem a stable political jurisdiction where the rule of law holds, that are of this magnitude, and we’d like to think that is what has attracted Rio Tinto,” he said.

Public open houses will also take place in Melfort Thursday evening and in Nipawin Friday.

glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow