Arctic Canadian Gets Approval for Ekati Extension

RAPAPORT... Authorities in Canada have green-lighted plans for the new Point Lake pit at the Ekati mine.The Wek'??ezh??i Land and Water Board, which regulates the area, approved a land-use permit lasting five years and a water license valid through October 2023, it said Friday in letters to Arctic Canadian Diamond Company (ACDC), which owns Ekati. Last week, the government of the Northwest Territories also approved the water license.The proposed project, which would add several years to Ekati's life span, has reportedly prompted concerns about its impact on endangered caribou, a type of deer found in the region.Image: The Ekati mine. (Dominion Diamond Mines)