Diavik says reported 30,000-litre spill came from pipeline test

The NWT’s Diavik diamond mine says a 30,000-litre spill reported at the mine last weekend was associated with a test and entirely contained within one of its pits.

The spill occurred on the morning of Saturday, August 20 according to a preliminary entry filed in the territory’s online spill reports database a day later.

By email, a Diavik spokesperson said the spill “involved water used for hydrotesting of pipelines.”

The spokesperson said the water poured out into the A418 mine pit, where it was collected by an existing sump installed to capture water at the pit.

“There was no release to the external receiving environment. The spill was proactively reported to regulators as per regulatory requirements,” the spokesperson said.

Hydrotesting is the process by which pressure vessels like pipelines are tested for their strength and the presence of leaks.

The water will now be treated at Diavik’s North Inlet plant, the spokesperson said.