Investigations begin into Gahcho Kué fatality

De Beers and its parent company are sending investigators to the Gahcho Kué mine as NWT authorities open their own inquiries into a fatality at the site.

De Beers, which co-owns Gahcho Kué in a joint venture with Mountain Province Diamonds, said the individual who passed away last week was not being named at the request of the contractor that employed them.

Both companies have said they will not publicize details of what took place while investigations are under way.

Crisis counsellors remain at the mine this week, De Beers said in a statement issued to Cabin Radio on Tuesday.

“Supporting our team and understanding what happened are key priorities,” the mining giant wrote, stating a team of investigators from De Beers and parent company Anglo American would attempt “to fully understand what happened in an effort to prevent a similar incident from happening in the future.”

All but essential operations were paused in the aftermath of the incident on September 1. De Beers said on Tuesday limited production had resumed and would “ramp up over the next few days following a scheduled shift change.”

The NWT’s Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission, which is responsible for occupational health and safety in the territory, said its own inspectors had arrived at the site and commenced a separate investigation.

Asked what form that investigation takes and which steps are involved, WSCC spokesperson Shannon Moore said by email: “As the investigation is ongoing, no further information can be released at this time.”