An accident has claimed the lives of two employees of Edmonton-based Supreme Steel at the Diavik diamond mine, about 300 km northwest of Yellowknife, N.W.T.
Gerhard Bender and Gregory Wheeler were killed when a man-lift overturned on Tuesday night, while performing work on the construction of the Diavik processing plant.
A full investigation is under way.
Steel erection and cladding activity in the area have been suspended. Senior management and counselling professionals are on-site to provide support for the workers.
Activity is expected to return to normal in the other areas of the project over the next few days.
The $1.3-billion mine is a 60-40 joint venture between a unit of London-based Rio Tinto (RTP-N) and Aber Diamond (ABZ-T).
The mine, which will become Canada’s second diamond mine, is expected to begin producing high-quality white diamonds in early 2003. Because of the higher grades at the top of the A-154 South kimberlite, initial production is targeted to exceed 7 million carats annually.
The project employs about 1,000 people.
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