BHP Billiton Diamonds Inc.

Ekati Diamond Mine, NT

BHP Billiton Diamonds currently operates Canada's first major diamond mine. The Ekati mine is located 320 km north of Yellowknife, NT and was constructed at a capital cost of approximately $1 billion.

Nuna's Role

Ekati Diamond Mine and Misery Mine, 1994 - 2005

Since the early stages of Ekati Mine, NUNA has provided contract services to BHP Billiton including:

  • Construction of a 7,000 foot runway from blasted granite. The runway and supporting road project began mid-May 1994 and the first 2 aircraft, a Falcon and a Boeing 727, landed in late-October, 1994.

  • Construction of a 160 km winter road over the barren lands and frozen lakes to support a major exploration drill program.

  • Drill support for 5 large rigs involving the transportation of a 200-person workforce with snow clearing, road maintenance and support equipment.

  • Transportation of bulk bagged cement from Hay River, NT to Ekati mine site for the construction of the plant during the 1996 winter.

  • Supply of crushed construction backfill materials for the plant site and road maintenance.

  • Contract mining services for the Panda pit pre-stripping program. Nuna’s personnel moved 1.2 million tonnes per month during this pre-stripping program that commenced early 1997 and finished late-1998.

  • Construction of a CEA award-winning 800 m long frozen core dam including the installation of aggregate handling and kiln facilities that commenced January 1998 and was completed early April 1998.

  • Construction of 3 frozen core dams at the Misery site in 2001 and 2002.

  • Contract mining services for pre-stripping of Koala North and Misery pits and contract mining of the Misery pit moving up to 16,000,000 MT per year.

  • Construction of a 31 km all-weather access and haulage road linking the Ekati site to the Misery site.

  • Construction of HDPE dewatering pipelines and earthworks at various locations on site. 

BHP Billiton Exploration
Qilalugaq Exploration Project, Nunavut, Canada - 2005

During the 2005 winter season, NUNA M&T Services Ltd. provided construction, site services and drill support to BHP Billiton Exploration’s Qilalugaq project, Repulse Bay, Nunavut. Nuna M&T’s activities included:

  • Erection of a 50-person camp.

  • Mobilization of construction equipment.

  • Provision of a custom designed skid-mounted vacuum unit for collection of sludge from the large diameter drilling operation.

  • Site services including aircraft freight handling.

  • Transportation of kimberlite bulk samples from the drill sites to the airstrip.

  • Using a Bombardier SW48HY tractor constructed of a 5,000 foot ice airstrip capable of handling Hercules aircraft.

 

 

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