Indigenous groups weigh in on closure plans for N.W.T.’s Diavik mine, urge more use of traditional knowledge – CBC
May 26, 2025
Diamond mine currently set to close in early 2026
Some Indigenous groups in the N.W.T. are weighing in on Diavik Diamond Mine’s closure plans, and saying Indigenous traditional knowledge should play a bigger role in those plans.
The closure represents “the most important time in the mine’s life,” according to the Łutsel K’e Dene First Nation (LKDFN), in a written submission to the Wek’èezhìi Land and Water Board ahead of Diavik’s water licence renewal. The First Nation says the mine’s closure will determine how healthy the land and water will be after the operation is gone.
Diavik is set to close early 2026, and its water licence, which authorizes water use and waste discharge, expires at the end of this year. A public hearing on the water licence renewal application will be held in Behchoko from June 10 to 12.
