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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - In two months, Diavik Diamond Mine experienced almost as many spills in one mining pit as it had in the previous 17 months.

From Oct. 20 to Dec. 22, 11 hydraulic oil spills were reported in pit A418, which began ore production this spring. From the beginning of 2007 to October 2008, 12 reported hydraulic oil spills were reported in the pit.

Eleven hydraulic oil spills have occurred in mining pit A418 over a two-month period. Pictured above is pit A154, which Diavik mined just before pit A418. - NNSL file photo

The largest volume of hydraulic oil spilt was 5,000 litres on Dec. 22. Just two days prior to that, a 4,500-litre spill occurred in the pit.

Doug Ashbury, acting principal adviser of communications with Diavik, said these two spills came from the same large excavating machine.

"The two larger ones involved a valve that was scoured. What that resulted in was an increase in pressure which resulted in a hose failure," he said.

One thousand litres of hydraulic oil spilled on Dec. 7. Ashbury said this spill came from a different excavating machine.

Diavik began mining ore from the A418 pit early this year. Increased activity in the pit could have led to a higher numbers of spills, said Ashbury, and cold winter weather may also have been a factor.

"In December, it's very cold," he said. "And very cold, extreme climate conditions are very hard on even the best mechanical equipment."

He said the equipment responsible for the three larger spills in December were older pieces of machinery which "we've had for some time."

Ashbury said all spills are inspected and cleaned up and the company reports any spill over 100 litres to the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (INAC). "We take every spill seriously," he said.

An INAC spokesperson said since the spills occurred in the pit, the effluent would be scooped out during the mining process, and therefore the department saw no cause for concern.