Ten years and ten months after the official opening in July 2008, production at De Beers Group Victor Mine in northern Ontario has come to an end. On May 26, the last of the economic ore was processed through the plant, followed by several days of low-grade ore and limestone to help purge the plant of any remaining diamonds. Mining activities in the pit ended on March 5, when the mine switched to processing the remaining surface stockpiles of ore. The plant will now undergo a comprehensive shutdown process through the end of June.
De Beers Group Exploration discovered Victor in 1987, becoming Canada's first economically viable diamond deposit discovery, nearly five years ahead of the diamond discoveries in the Northwest Territories. Since construction of the mine began in 2006, De Beers Group has spent $2.6 billion to build and operate the mine, of which $820 million has gone to Indigenous and local businesses in northern Ontario. In addition, De Beers Group has paid $110 million in royalties to the Government of Ontario and another $100 million in corporate social investment and payments to communities.
"This is a bittersweet moment for our company as we celebrate the great work done by the Victor team that began when the mine opened and continued right up until the moment the conveyors stopped in the plant. This historic run has sadly now come to an end," said Kim Truter, De Beers Group, Canada.
"Not only was this Ontario's first and only diamond mine, Victor is the foundation for our company's success in Canada and continued to demonstrate that strong performance to the very end as the team managed to extend production almost four months longer than originally expected." Truter said.