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Diamond mines continue to operate

Diavik-Pit-Pitcture
The individual with the presumptive positive case of Covid-19 is self-isolating at a designated spot at the mine, said the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer. file photo

It's business as usual for three diamond mines in the NWT as the situation with COVID-19 continues to develop.

Rio Tinto, Dominion Diamond Mines and De Beers confirmed to NNSL Media that their operations are ongoing.

Rio Tinto continues to closely watch the impacts of COVID-19 and production at Rio Tinto's Diavik mine is at full capacity.

“Our first priority remains the safety of our people, whom we have taken a number of measures across the business to protect. For instance, we have asked all teams to reassess the need for travel, with non-essential-travel postponed in certain regions," said a Rio Tinto spokesperson.

“Employees returning to work after business or personal travel to certain regions and countries have been advised to notify their manager and work from home for 14 days.”

A spokesperson for Dominion, which operates the Ekati Mine said the company has formed a response team to monitor COVID-19 developments, but said none of its workforce have been sent home.

Operations at De Beers' Gahcho Kue mine are also continuing as usual, said spokesperson Terry Kruger.

"Out of an abundance of caution and with the health and safety of our employees and their families top of mind, De Beers Group has taken a number of proactive steps to limit the potential exposure including limiting travel for all employees, enhanced cleaning and sanitization of high contact areas at our operations, encouraging the use of technology to conduct meetings, and restricting access to our remote operations to operational personnel only," he said.