Diavik Diamond Mine (March 21, 2023) – The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has been made aware of a “mine-impacted water” spill at the Diavik Diamond Mine, located 300km northeast of Yellowknife.
Diavik reported a spill of 450,000 cubic metres of water used in mining operations on March 16th, 2023. The spill was caused by breakage in a pipeline which transports mine-impacted water.
The original spill date is listed as February 7th, 2023 on the Spills Database. The operators of the pipeline believed the spill was not categorized as reportable as the mine-impacted water was leaking into the North Inlet Containment Pond area, which was its ultimate destination. As part of regular reporting, the Diavik Environment Team was made aware of the situation on March 14th.
GNWT inspectors have visited the site and confirmed the entire spill is within an established containment pond at the mine site, and none has been released into the environment, including Lac De Gras.
The GNWT has requested Diavik divert and repair the pipeline. The company is acting appropriately to address the issue.
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