Firm touts 'great potential' for diamond find
Rock formations hint at motherlode in northern Alberta
Tom Olsen - Calgary Herald, Nov 21, 2001
Diamonds are a girl's - and a government's - best friend. So says Energy Minister Murray Smith, who met Tuesday with mining company officials who insist an operational Alberta diamond mine is just around the corner. Smith was pumped as he headed into the meeting: "It will be a good story if there are diamonds here." Bob Rysiuk, vice-president of explorations for New Claymore Resources Ltd., said part of the purpose in seeking the meeting was to tell the minister how close a new provincial revenue source may be. "There's great potential," said Rysiuk. "I've been saying we're 70 metres away from our first diamond mine." Ashton Mining, a partner in the pursuit, has found 36 kimberlite pipes, which are the rock formations diamonds are usually found in. "That's what diamond explorers look for," said Dave Skelton, a geologist with Ashton. "Once you find a kimberlite, you test it to see if it contains diamonds, and if it has enough diamonds, you continue to see if it has economic quantities of diamonds." The company is excited by the results of one test: diamonds have been found in a kimberlite pipe in the Buffalo Head Hills area, in northern Alberta. Further tests are being done to see if the quantities justify commercial investment. "They have the best kimberlite they found last December, but it's buried by 70 metres of overlay, meaning clay and garbage," said Ryziuk. "We think there is a lot of potential for a mine in our province, and we're here to talk to Murry to let him know that." Diamond mining isn't a quick ticket to riches. In the Northwest Territories, years passed between the time diamonds were discovered at the Ekati mine and when the first commercially viable stones were produced. The N.W.T. now says the mine, which is an open pit about one kilometre across, accounts for 20 percent of the territory's annual gross domestic product. Smith said diamond mining could turn out to be significant to the Alberta economy. "I'm happy to meet with people who are willing to add wealth and create value in this province" said Smith. "Diamonds area girl's - and a government's - best friend." Smith said the presence of diamonds in N.W.T. bodes well for Alberta. The two jurisdictions share natural gas resources, so it's conceivable they could also share diamond assets. |
