Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 20/01) - Problems with the runway at Diavik have delayed the start of direct flights from Edmonton to the mine site.

"Boeing sent a team up to test the bearing strength of the runway three weeks ago," said Canadian North vice-president Michael King Wednesday.

"It was all OK except for a couple of spots. They had to do some work so we have to go up and test it to make sure it's up to snuff."

The Boeing 737 flights to the diamond mine, located 300 kilometers northeast of Yellowknife, were to begin yesterday.

King said he did not know when the flights would begin.

Diavik has contracted Canadian North to fly to the mine, now under construction, from Edmonton three times a week during the summer and twice a week during the winter for the next 18 months.

The socio-economic agreement signed between the territorial government and Diavik, a subsidiary of London-based mining giant Rio Tinto, allows "fly-overs" during the construction phase of the mine.

Canadian North had a similar contract during the construction of the BHP mine.

During operation of BHP and Diavik, shift changes at the mine must occur from the Dogrib communities, Kugluktuk, Dettah, Ndilo, Lutsel K'e, Yellowknife or Hay River.