It all began in November 1991, when geologists Chuck Fipke and Stewart Blusson found 81 small diamonds at Lac de Gras in the NWT. This discovery ignited the greatest diamond staking rush in North American history, and led to their part ownership of the EKATI Diamond Mine, Canada’s first.
Who discovered diamonds in Canada?
History of mining
It was not until 1991 that diamonds were officially discovered by non-indigenous people, specifically, by two geologists named Chuck Fipke and Stewart Blusson. This discovery lead to the first diamond mine in the NWT in 1998 called Ekati and initially operated by BHP Billiton.
When were diamonds first discovered in Canada?
1991
Canada’s Diamond Production
The first discovery of diamonds in Canada occurred in 1991 at Point Lake near Lac de Gras in the Northwest Territories, 300 km northeast of Yellowknife. In October 1998 diamonds were mined in Canada for the first time, at the Ekati mine near Lac de Gras.
How were diamonds eventually found in Canada?
This diamond, and perhaps others, originated in kimberlite pipes located in the far north. Erosion released the precious mineral from a pipe and ancient glaciers pushed the diamond south. The first Canadian diamond mine was opened in 1998 after exciting kimberlite discoveries in the Northwest Territories.
What was the first diamond mine in Canada?
Victor Mine, the first commercial diamond deposit discovered in Canada, ended production in May 2019. The deposit was discovered in 1988 and production began in 2008. Over its life, more than 8.2 million carats of diamonds were recovered at Ontario’s first and only diamond mine.
Who first found diamond?
The first diamond discoveries in South Africa were alluvial, meaning they were found as deposits along a river bed. In 1867, a 15-year-old boy named Erasmus Jacobs found a small transparent rock along the banks of the Orange River, near his farm where he lived with his family.
Who found the first diamond ever?
According to some, the original discovery of diamonds was made between 2500 and 1700 BC by the Dravidians in India during the Indus Valley Civilization in the Bronze Age. Others believe the first diamonds were discovered in India closer to 1000 BC.
Where was 1st diamond found?
Diamond History
The earliest diamonds were found in India in 4th century BC, although the youngest of these deposits were formed 900 million years ago. A majority of these early stones were transported along the network of trade routes that connected India and China, commonly known as the Silk Road.
Why does Canada have so many diamonds?
Like South Africa, Canada is underlain by a huge craton known as “archon,” consisting of rocks older than 2500 million years. According to global studies of the distribution of diamond-bearing kimberlites, these types of rocks are mainly found within ancient cratons such as the ones that underlay parts of Canada.
Why are diamonds hard to find in Canada?
The Northwest Territories, where most of these diamonds are found, has a subarctic to polar climate. It can be a challenge to survive in the ice and snow of northern Canada, let alone find diamonds.
What is the biggest diamond found in Canada?
The 71.26-carat rough diamond is a fancy vivid yellow color, the most vibrant and valuable of all yellow diamonds. Even more astounding, it is likely the largest fancy vivid yellow diamond to ever be discovered in Canada. It was found in an underground section of the Ekati mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories.
Where is Canada’s largest diamond mine?
Gahcho Kué, the world’s largest new diamond mine, opened on September 20, 2016. It is a fly-in/fly-out remote mine site on the Canadian tundra just south of the Arctic Circle, about 280 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories.
Are Canadian diamonds blood diamonds?
Canadian diamonds are diamonds that are somewhat similar to other types of natural diamonds, except for their origin. Canadian Diamonds are free from conflict, which is why it is sought after even more than regular diamonds.
Does Canada have any diamonds?
This map of Canada shows the locations of five active diamond mines, two past-producing diamond mines and one advanced project, by province and territory. The Ekati, Diavik and Gahcho Kué mines are located about 300 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories.
Where is the diamond capital of Canada?
Yellowknife
Here are five sparkling reasons why Yellowknife is Canada’s capital of diamonds.
Which province in Canada has the most diamonds?
the Northwest Territories (NWT)
Canada’s diamonds are predominantly mined in the Northwest Territories (NWT), which encompasses 40% of Canada’s landmass. There are currently four working diamond mines in Canada, three in the NWT – the Ekati, Diavik and Gahcho Kué mines – and the Renard diamond mine in Quebec.
How did diamond arrive on Earth?
1) Formation in Earth’s Mantle. Geologists believe that the diamonds in all of Earth’s commercial diamond deposits were formed in the mantle and delivered to the surface by deep-source volcanic eruptions. These eruptions produce the kimberlite and lamproite pipes that are sought after by diamond prospectors.
Who found the blood diamond?
Out of curiosity, 16-year-old miner Komba Johnbull picked it up and fingered its flat, pyramidal planes. Johnbull had never seen a diamond before, but he knew enough to understand that even a big find would be no larger than his thumbnail.
How old is the oldest diamond?
3.3 billion-year-old
The oldest dated examples, the 3.5–3.3 billion-year-old Diavik and Ekati diamonds, were forming prior to the rise of oxygen in the earth’s atmosphere (2.5 to 2.3 billion years ago). All diamonds that have been dated so far were formed even before the dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago.
Who found a 9 carat diamond?
Kevin Kinard
Kevin Kinard was visiting Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park when he discovered a 9.07 carat diamond. Kinard, from Maumelle, Arkansas, has been going to park since a second-grade field trip – even though he had always come back empty handed. He’s 33 now.
What is the oldest known diamond in the world?
The polki diamond, the world’s oldest cut, has also been described as ‘softly glowing like the moon.