Christie's is selling one of the diamonds, moving forward with its Geneva jewelry auction despite the cyberattack that took down its website.
By 2019, De Beers Will Be Down to 1 Active Mine in Canada
The Victor open-pit diamond mine will cease operations in early 2019, leaving only Gahcho Kué.
Calgary, Canada--De Beers announced late Wednesday that it plans to close one of the two active diamond mines it has in Canada.
The open-pit Victor mine in northern Ontario opened in 2008 and was projected to produce 6 million carats of rough diamonds during its lifetime. To date, the mine has produced 7 million and De Beers said the decision to close it is in line with the original feasibility study and current life-of-mine plan.
Tom Ormsby, De Beers Canada spokesman, said the company will gradually reduce the workforce at Victor over the next 16 months.
Not including contractors, De Beers employees will number 350 in January 2018, 277 in December and then go down to 79 for the decommissioning, demolition, reclamation and environmental monitoring phase that will take place after mining and processing ends.
De Beers has been operating in Canada since 1961, when it first began exploring for diamonds there.
The company came across the Victor kimberlite cluster, the first economically viable diamond discovery in Canada, in 1987 and opened the Victor mine in 2008.
The closure of the Victor a little more than a year from now will leave De Beers with one operating mine in Canada, Gahcho Kué, and the news comes just a week after De Beers all but confirmed reports that it will shut down four land diamond mines in Namibia by 2022.
Outside of Victor and Gahcho Kué, De Beers has the underground Snap Lake Mine in Canada but that mine has been inactive since December 2015.
De Beers said that it developed a mine closure plan before Victor opened and already has started reclamation work on the land, including the planting of more than 200,000 tree saplings and willow stakes that were harvested and grown locally through a community youth work program.
After mining ceases in early 2019, the demolition and environmental monitoring phase will begin and will take three to five years.
De Beers said it will be hiring people and awarding contracts for this phase of the mine’s shutdown, supplementing the 79 employees expected to remain employed after Q1 2019.
Editor's note: This story was updated post-publication to include information obtained from De Beers about employment numbers at the mine.
The Latest
The ad aims to position platinum jewelry as ideal for everyday wear.
Retailers can customize and print the appraisal brochures from their store.
Despite the rising prices, consumers continue to seek out the precious metal.
The move follows a price-drop test run in Q4 and comes with the addition of a “quality assurance card” from GIA for some loose diamonds.
The site has been down since Thursday evening, just ahead of its spring auctions.
The late former U.S. Secretary’s collection went for quadruple the sale’s pre-sale estimate.
Tradeshow risks are real. Get tips to protect yourself before, during and after and gain safety and security awareness for your business.
Three fifth graders’ winning designs were turned into custom jewelry pieces in time for Mother’s Day.
Kimberly Adams Russell is taking over the role from her father, David Adams, marking the third generation to hold the title.
As a token of womanhood, this necklace depicts when Venus was born from the sea.
The deal gives the retailer control over the distribution of Roberto Coin jewelry in the U.S., Canada, Caribbean, and Central America.
Show your mother some love with a piece of fine jewelry.
The company’s Easton location will remain open.
Brian D. Fleming of Carla Corporation was elected to serve a one-year term in the role.
Sponsored by the Las Vegas Antique Jewelry and Watch Show
Tobak, author of “Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History,” shares how the exhibition came to be, and the pieces people may be surprised to see.
Stars adorned themselves in emeralds, platinum, and myriad bird motifs, writes Associate Editor Natalie Francisco.
M.S. Rau is set to open a seasonal gallery in the high-end resort town early next month.
The branded jewelry market is thriving, said Richemont Chairman Johann Rupert.
The six designers, all participants in the show’s Diversity Action Council mentorship program, will exhibit in Salon 634.
The highlight of his collection is the coveted Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime, which could sell for up to $5 million.
The “Venetian Link” series modernizes the classic Veneziana box chain in its bracelets and necklaces.
The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship will provide tuition assistance to two low-income students.
The Swiss watchmaker said the company’s plans to use a new version of the Hallmark crown on jewelry would confuse consumers.
The executive talked about the importance of self-purchasers and how fuel cell electric vehicles are going to fuel demand for platinum.
The Indian jeweler’s new store in Naperville, Illinois marks its 350th location, part of its ongoing global expansion plans.