Public hearings into Gahcho Kué conclude

by eyetee | December 12, 2012 3:01 pm

A collaborative monitoring forum is one of the developments to come out of public hearings into the Gahcho Kué project.

Named Ni Hadi Yati, the initiative was proposed jointly by the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation, Deninu K’ue First Nation, Tlicho Government, and De Beers.

Gahcho Kué is located 280 km northeast of Yellowknife and is a joint venture between De Beers and Mountain Province Diamonds.

The five-day public hearings into the project are one of the final steps in the environmental impact review process, which began in 2006. An 11,000-page environmental impact statement was submitted to the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board in December 2011.

“We are confident the project is not only technically sound, but also reflects our commitment to sustainable development by listening to our community partners and incorporating key input that makes this project viable and respects local priorities,” said De Beers Canada chief operating officer (COO) Glen Koropchuk.

The process toward building Gahcho Kué comes at a time when the two oldest diamond mines in the Northwest Territories are declining in output.

“Since the discovery of Gahcho Kué 20 years ago, more than $200 million has been invested in exploration, social and environmental studies, engineering design, feasibility studies, and consultation,” said Mountain Province Diamonds president and chief executive officer (CEO) Patrick Evans.

“This reflects an extraordinary commitment on the part of our shareholders to the people and diamond industry of Canada’s Northwest Territories. [These] public hearings mark an important milestone towards the development of Canada’s next great diamond mine. The successful permitting of Gahcho Kué will secure the Northwest Territories’ position as one of the world’s leading diamond producing regions.”

Source URL: https://www.jewellerybusiness.com/news/public-hearings-into-gahcho-kue-conclude/