Mine resupply complete for 2001
Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Apr 16/01) - The largest user of a major NWT ice artery says all its materials and fuel have landed safely at Lac de Gras.
In total, 4,098 truckloads were delivered to the Diavik Diamonds Mines' project site via the 2001 Lupin ice road, which is built and managed by Nuna Logistics, a majority Inuit-owned company.
"This completes the trucking as planned," Diavik spokesperson Tom Hoefer said. "We are very pleased that all essential materials, fuel and equipment needed for the 2001 construction season have been delivered, safely and on target."
A one-way trip over the 408 kilometres to Lac de Gras takes up to 14 hours, which means average speeds of 30 km/hour. Slow speed is critical to protecting the ice road from damage.
Materials trucked to site included 2,248 loads of construction materials and mining equipment, 1,067 loads fuel, 700 loads bulk material, including cement, bentonite, and explosives, and 83 loads of steel.
The 2001 winter ice road officially opened for light traffic Feb. 15 and for full loads Feb. 25, about two weeks later than last year.
Despite the delay, a new record was set for hauling.
By April 12, 7,899 loads had been hauled for all users of the ice road, including Echo Bay Mines for their Lupin gold mine, BHP for the Ekati diamond mine, and De Beers for their Snap Lake diamond project, as well as Diavik. The previous record was set in 1999 when 4,500 loads were hauled.
The 7,899 loads weighed in at about 240,000 tons, said Kirk McLellan, Echo Bay Mines logistics manager. McLellan said between 60 and 100 extra loads remained to be transported last Thursday. Tonnage orders, placed before the road opened, were all met, McLellan adds. The road was scheduled to be closed at midnight Sunday.
Despite the successful resupply, McLellan said "we still think of the fatality."
Guyle Armstrong died in December after the snowcat he was operating broke through the ice.
