Gahcho Kué Mine Increases NWT Workforce in 2019

Press Release

02 Jun 2020

De Beers Group and Mountain Province Diamonds are pleased to release the Gahcho Kué Mine Socio-Economic Report: Building Forever 2019, highlighting that the number of Northwest Territories (“NWT”) residents employed at Gahcho Kué rose by almost 10% in 2019 compared to the previous year.

The mine provided 574 person years of employment during the year, of whom 284, or almost 50%, live in the NWT, an increase of 19 person years over 2018. This includes both De Beers Group and contractor employees.

Mpumi Zikalala, Managing Director of De Beers Group Managed Operations, said: “Our commitment to contributing to our communities in the NWT is expressed through job creation, spending with local businesses and corporate social investment. This report highlights the socio-economic and cascading positive impacts our activities generate in the Northwest Territories.

“Working in partnership with Mountain Province Diamonds, we are helping to create economic and social value by aligning our vision with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals to accelerate our impact and challenge ourselves to do more through the 2030 goals.”

The report also demonstrates the mine’s achievements in the following areas:

• 6.8 million carats recovered
• 26% of the Gahcho Kué workforce is Indigenous (151 person years)
• 38% reduction in recordable injuries (medical aid and lost time injuries) in 2019 compared to 2018
• Third consecutive NWT/NU Overall Surface Mine Rescue championship for the Mine Rescue Team
• 76% of goods and services purchased were made through NWT businesses and joint ventures, well exceeding the commitment of 60%
• $582,000 invested in communities through a variety of corporate social investments, as well as $310,000 cash and in-kind investment in renovation of Yellowknife Women’s Centre
• Seven NWT women received STEM scholarships for 2019-2020 school year while six NWT teenagers attended University of Waterloo Impact Camp for Indigenous Girls in August

Stuart Brown, President and CEO of Mountain Province Diamonds commented: “In addition to our collaborative partnership with De Beers Group in Canada, we are proud to have a strong relationship with the

Indigenous people of the NWT, who have lived here in unison with nature for many centuries. We consider it a privilege to have their trust and are thoroughly committed to the protection of the environment as part of our mining operation.

“Gahcho Kué, since its inception, has been a collaborative undertaking and the partnership has enabled the mine to flourish, with a strong safety record and production performance.”

The full report is available HERE.

IBF5