Diavik hopes to send 4,200 loads to mine site
Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Mar 02/01) - Diavik Diamond Mines is about a week behind schedule in sending supplies to its mine site.
The company hopes to send 4,200 loads to its mine site via the Lupin ice road before it closes, but as of Tuesday only 1,250 loads have been transported.
"We're behind about a week because the road opened a lot later than last year," said Tom Hoefer, Diavik's executive director of public and governmental affairs.
However, the ice road weight limit just reached 100 per cent capacity on Feb. 25. Hoefer said that's good news and the company is expecting to reach their target goal of 4,200 by the end of this month.
"It would be nice if we could do it by the end of March and if there is any other time left, that's bonus time."
If Diavik doesn't reach their target by the time the road closes, "then it's time for Plan B," said Hoefer.
"We've already had a Hercules aircraft up to our site on our new strip, so that opportunity still exists.
"But when you look at the cost of air transport compared to ice road transport, we would sure like to minimize having to haul any of that by air."
