Mountain Province Diamonds has just found a massive gem in Gahcho Kué, one of Canada’s newest diamond mines.
It is the largest of its kind to be recovered at the mine, which is one of the world’s biggest diamond mines, to date as a 67.87-carat gem quality octahedron diamond.
It was unearthed during production ramp-up, according to the company.
Mountain Province Diamonds’ president and CEO, Patrick Evans, said production ramp-up at the remote mine has been progressing well, despite some recent disruption, and Gahcho Kué is on schedule to achieve commercial production in the current quarter.
Gahcho Kué opened last September and is situated almost 300 kilometres east of Yellowknife, in Canada’s Northwest Territories. According to DeBeers, which holds a 51 per cent stake, the mine has thus far provided a US$341 million boost to the territories’ economy and a further US$272 million boost to the rest of Canada.