The Victor plant will be completely shut down by the end of June 2019. (Image: Anglo American)[/caption]
ONTARIO – Production has officially ceased production at the first and only diamond mine in this province – the Victor mine owned by De Beers Canada. The news comes 10 years and 10 months after the mine was officially opened in July 2008.
Mining ceased on March 5, and the recovery plant treated stockpiled material since that time. The last economic ore was processed on May 25, 2019, followed by several days of treating low grade ore and limestone to purge the plant of any remaining diamonds. The mineral processing plant will be completely shut down by the end of June.
De Beers said it has spent $2.6 billion to build and operate the mine, of which $820 million has gone to Indigenous and local businesses in northern Ontario. In addition, it paid $110 million in royalties to the government of Ontario and another $100 million in corporate social investment and payments to communities.
During its operation, the Victor mine yielded roughly 8.1 million carats of diamonds.
The Victor mine won its share of awards – 2009 International Mine of the Year from Mining Magazine, 2010 Ontario Chamber of Commerce Large Mine of the Year and four straight John T. Ryan Awards for mine safety (nationally in 2015 and 2016, regionally in 2017 and 2018).
Visit the company’s website at www.DeBeersGroup.com. 
December 19, 2024
December 19, 2024
Comments
Ronald Bradshaw
Another result from the “consult and accomodate” legislation. Without cancelling or at least modifying this legislation, there will be very few new mining developments in Ontario. The aboriginal royalty believe that they are entitled to the major revenue from the mine project, making the project one without profit.