Mining in the Northwest Territories: 15 Facts

Mining in the Northwest Territories: 15 Facts

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Mining in the Northwest Territories facts

Did you know that diamond mining accounts for roughly one-third of the Northwest Territories' gross domestic product (GDP) in a typical year? Mining plays an irreplaceable role in NWT’s economy and, as a result, in the lives of many Canadians and Indigenous families in the territory.

With its massive land area, is it any surprise that NWT is home to much more than just diamonds? Minerals and metals found within its expansive landscapes include diamonds, gold, silver, platinum, zinc, copper, lead, coal, nickel, iron, tungsten, uranium, cobalt, lithium, bismuth, neodymium, europium, terbium, dysprosium, yttrium, lanthanum, cerium, and more!

With abundant natural resources, the NWT's mining sector has massive growth potential, presenting the opportunity to supply more of the world's most important minerals and metals.

Below, we examine several facts about mining in the Northwest Territories and the positive impact the industry has had on Canadians throughout the remote northern region.

Mining in NWT Facts - diamond mining has added $23 billion to the Northwest Territories economy since 1999

Northwest Territories: 15 Mining Facts

#1 – Mining accounts for roughly one-third of the NWT’s economy every year [1]

#2 – NWT has many valuable minerals yielding rich resources, including (but not limited to) [2]:

  • Diamonds
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Platinum
  • Zinc
  • Copper
  • Lead
  • Nickel
  • Iron
  • Tungsten
  • Uranium
  • Cobalt
  • Lithium
  • Rare Earths
  • Coal

#3 – The NWT is home to 22 of the 31 critical minerals listed by the federal government [1]

#4 - Mining has a long history in the NWT, with various mines opening throughout the past century including [6]:

  • 1930s - Eldorado (uranium), Con, Negus, Rycon (gold)
  • 1940s - Giant, Thompson-Lundmark (gold) 
  • 1950s - Rankin (nickel), Discovery (gold) 
  • 1960s - Pine Point (zinc-lead), Cantung (tungsten) 
  • 1970s - Nanisivik (zinc)
  • 1980s - Polaris (zinc-lead), Lupin, Cullaton Lake (gold) 
  • 1990s - Colomac (gold), Ekati (diamonds) 
  • 2000s - Diavik, Snap Lake, Jericho (diamonds)
  • 2010s - Meliadine (gold), Meadowbank (gold), Mary River (iron), Hope Bay (gold), Gahcho Kué (diamonds)
  • 2020s - Nechalacho (REEs) 

#5 - NWT is currently home to four active mines, three of which produce diamonds and one that produces rare earth elements [5]

#6 - A 552-carat yellow diamond discovered at the Diavik diamond mine in 2015 is the largest found to date in North America and within the top 30 largest in the world [3]

#7 - There were 42 active agreements signed by exploration and mining companies and Indigenous communities or governments as of 2021 within the NWT, accounting for 9% of the national total [4]

Mining in NWT Facts - 1 in 3 mining workers in the Northwest Territories identify as Indigenous

#8 - Since 1996 when the NWT’s first diamond mine began construction, through 2019, the sector has [7]:

  • Created 87,930 person-years of employment
  • Generated $32.7 billion in business
  • Generated billions in taxes and royalties to public and Indigenous governments
  • Provided several hundred million dollars to communities in IBA payments, scholarships, donations, and community legacy projects

#9 - The importance of diamond mining to NWT’s economy cannot be overstated; the Diavik mine, for example, has extracted over 144 million carats of rough diamonds since 2003, accounting for more than 10% of the territory’s economy [8]

#10 - The first diamond-bearing kimberlite in Canada was discovered in the Lac de Gras area of the NWT in 1991, leading to the development of Canada’s first diamond mine in 1998 - the Ekati Diamond Mine [9]

#11 – The Diavik Mine currently employs more than 1,300 people; of these, 36% are from northern communities and 18% are northern Indigenous [8]

#12 – By the end of 2023, the Diavik Mine injected $10.4 billion into the economy since construction began in 2000, of which $7.5 billion has been with northern businesses and representing 72% of the project’s total business spend [8]

#13 – Of the $10.4 billion spent by Diavik, $3.7 billion was specifically spent with northern Indigenous businesses and their joint ventures, providing jobs and revenues for local communities [8]

#14 – Diavik is partially powered by renewable energy, with 6,620 solar panels in 23 rows on a swath of land equivalent to the size of seven city blocks [8]

#15 – Diavik also had a wind power plant installed in 2012, consisting of four 64-metre tall, 2.3 megawatt turbines, making it the largest wind power installation in Canada’s North [8]

Mining in NWT Facts - 3380 jobs are supported by the northwest territories mining sector in 2017

Mining is Critical for NWT Communities

The Northwest Territories’ mining sector is integral to its economy. The presence of mining companies benefits regional communities through policies such as impact benefit agreements that allow for infrastructure investments, local training, and wildlife monitoring programs to name a few examples.

Northwest Territories diamonds are world-renowned for their quality, colour, texture and commitment to leading practices. They play a big role in positioning Canada as a leading source of conflict-free, fair-trade diamonds for the many applications it is used in worldwide such as smartphones, cancer treatments, drill bits, jewellery, and so much more!

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SOURCES:

1 – https://www.canadianminingjournal.com/featured-article/canadas-reservoir-of-critical-minerals-northwest-territories/

2 - https://www.gov.nt.ca/redi/questions-and-answers

3 - https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/diavik-diamond-on-display-1.4999067

4 - https://natural-resources.canada.ca/minerals-mining/mining-data-statistics-and-analysis/minerals-and-the-economy/20529

5 - https://www.miningnorth.com/mines

6 - https://www.miningnorth.com/our-industry

7 - https://www.miningnorth.com/commitments

8 - https://magazine.cim.org/en/projects/the-transition-to-closure-en/

9 - https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/diamond