Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 17/00) - The quarrying is getting under way in a much bigger way than originally proposed at the Diavik diamond mine site, once again raising the question when exactly is the project considered to be 'proceeding'?

On Dec. 31, Diavik requested permission to quarry 50,000 cubic metres of rock. That permit was denied Jan. 20. A week later, Diavik amended the permit application, requesting permission to quarry an additional 275,000 cubic metres.

The amended permit was granted March 9, the day after the environmental agreement for the project was signed. It left Diavik with about a month left in the winter road season to haul to the site the fuel, equipment and supplies it needs for this year's construction.

The land use permit that went with the quarrying permits allows Diavik to go ahead with preparation of a construction camp, storage for fuel for the construction season and erection of a garage-like structure near the runway at the mine site, 280 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife.

Federal authorities stated in the report on the environmental assessment, "The agreements and regulatory approvals (including water licence) must be in place before the project proceeds."

But DIAND regional director general Hiram Beaubier said that does not mean the project cannot proceed in stages.

"It doesn't mean to say you have to have all of those instruments in place at the same time," said Beaubier.

"For this mine to go forward on a long term continuing basis, they're going to need a water licence. The work that's being done under the land use permit, if a water licence isn't available, is reversible work."

The 325,000 cubic metres the company was authorized to quarry amounts to a little more than 20 per cent of what Diavik plans to extract from the quarry.

Diavik paid a quarrying royalty of $1.50 per cubic metre of quarrying under the permits, a total of $487,500.

Investigation continues

The investigation of suspected unauthorized quarrying by the company at the mine site is continuing.

Acting director of operations Annette McRobert would not confirm a media report last week that it is anticipated that the investigation would wrap up next month.

Asked if the department had been discussing the matter with Crown prosecutors, McRobert replied, "I can't discuss that. The investigation is under way. That's all I can say about it."

The investigation began a month ago. Diavik contends it had permits for the quarrying that was being done.