Victor
The Victor Project is located in the James Bay Lowlands of Northern Ontario, approximately 90 km west of the coastal community of Attawapiskat.
Aerial view of the Victor Project
Victor
In June 2005, the Attawapiskat First Nation voted in favour (85.5%) of ratifying the Impact Benefit Agreement (IBA).
In August 2005, De Beers received approval by the Federal Minister of the Environment for the Victor Project Comprehensive Study Environmental Assessment (EA).
Construction of the mine began in February 2006, once the necessary permits were granted.
Victor team at the Teepee
The Victor Project employed more than 1,100 people during construction, while 375 permanent positions will be created during mining and processing operations.
The Victor mine is the first diamond mine in Ontario and the second in Canada for De Beers.
Victor is one of 18 kimberlite pipes discovered on the property, 16 of which are diamondiferous. The Victor kimberlite has a surface area of 15 hectares and consists of two pipes that coalesce at the surface: Victor Main and Victor Southwest.
The geology of the Victor kimberlite is complex, comprising of pyroclastic crater facies and hypabyssal facies and has a highly variable diamond grade.
The mine is open-pit with an expected life of 12 years and a total project life of 17 years.
Winter road
Construction at Victor
The site facilities include an open-pit mine, processing plant, workshops, warehouse, offices, fuel storage, pit dewatering system, accommodation complex and airstrip.
Support services include potable water, sewage treatment and waste management. Mining will utilize standard open-pit mine equipment comprised of 100 tonne trucks, large front-end loaders, dozers and the necessary support equipment.
The processing plant will treat 2.5 million tonnes of kimberlite per year (about 7500 tonnes per day) with the final product is then sorted and assessed for value.
Victor processing plant
The mine will be supported by winter road access for the transportation of equipment and supplies. Personnel will be transported to and from the site by air with pick-up stops at the coastal communities and Timmins.
Core and bulk sampling programs on other kimberlites will continue. Results of the evaluation of these programs will help determine if the mine life may be extended.
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