Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 26/00) - For Arctic Divers Ltd., a Yellowknife company awaiting more work at the Diavik diamond mine site, the waters have become, well, murky.

Wayne Gzowski, the under-ice specialists' CEO and operations manager, was hoping to begin extensive dive work at the proposed mine site this spring.

"We were going to install a water intake system and a test dyke," Gzowski, who, with George Piper, owns Arctic Divers.

But with last week's announcement, the plan is on hold. Diavik Diamond Mines said the proposed diamond mine could be delayed a year, after the federal government declined to issue an interim land-use permit.

Diavik needs the permit to get the proposed mine site ready for fuel and equipment, which has to be trucked up the ice road.

The federal government said Diavik must first complete its environmental monitoring agreement.

Gzowski adds Arctic Divers will survive if the Diavik project is delayed, but he would prefer to get going this year.

"It's a year of waiting," he said, adding that if the $1.3-billion mine construction schedule is delayed, Arctic Divers will have to wait for about $1 million worth of receivables.

During Diavik's first year of construction, Arctic Divers plans to bring in four divers, doubling the company to eight divers. In the second year, the company would grow to 16 divers. Divers would rotate in and out of Lac de Gras but be based in Yk, Gzowski said.

The company plans to rent a decompression chamber and set up a mobile command centre at the Diavik site.

As well, Gzowski said he will have to delay plans to rent space in Yk for divers.

And plans to train three ex-Giant miners would be shelved. These three individuals would end up working for Arctic Divers, Gzowski said.