Canada's Diamond Industry Essay

As is with most of the world’s resources, where success and monetary value goes up, there is an equal (if not greater) clash on the environment. Canada’s diamond mines are no exception. These mines are often built in environmentally fragile ecosystems, have significant ecological footprints, and will significantly impact upon the local game and fish, which provide food for Aboriginal peoples. “Canada’s diamond industry was launched from a standstill in the late 1990s after the discovery of one of the gems at Point Lake, Northwest Territories. Since then, the industry has surged and Canada now produces 15 percent of the world’s diamond supply and is the third largest producer of diamonds after Botswana and Russia. Between 1998 and 2002, 13.8

The mining has come to account for almost half of the North West Territory's GDP, according to Deb Archibald, director of minerals, oil and gas at the NWT industry ministry.” Although this all may be true, the overall quantity of negative aspects far surpasses any positive facets, both in value and amount. Two of Canada’s main diamond mines, Ekati, and Diavic, have had a significant impact on the surrounding environment. Kati, Canada’s first diamond mine, had commenced production in 1998, and by 2002, had a footprint the size of 1 400 hectares. Moreover, by 2004, it was recorded that the total habitat loss was 19.7 km2 (twice the size of yellowknife).Canada’s second mine, Diavik, is a mine found at the bottom of a lake, which not only discharges its mine water back into the lake, resulting in concern over quality control, but also discharges more ammonia than permitted under its original licence. Unfortunately, it is impossible to move the mines to more environmentally stable locations, or completely cut off the waste being produced my the mines, but there have been some proposed solutions, to assist in the reduction of waste and negative effects on the