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The NWT’s Diavik diamond mine says approximately 50,000 litres of diesel has spilled inside a storage facility.
The spill was reported to the NWT’s spills database on Wednesday.
In a statement to Cabin Radio, Diavik owner Rio Tinto said the spill had taken place on Tuesday in a diesel storage area “supporting the mine air heaters for underground operations.”
A Diavik spokesperson said the spill was “immediately reported” to the federal and territorial governments as well as the WSCC, the spill area was contained, and cleanup work is ongoing.
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How, exactly, the spill occurred was not explained.
A note contained in the publicly available spill report states that “all spilled material was contained within [the mine’s] drainage and collection control system … and did not reach the receiving environment.”
“Cleanup and monitoring efforts will continue in full cooperation with regulatory requirements and commitments,” Diavik stated, adding an NWT government inspector had visited the site on Thursday.
“Diavik is taking this situation very seriously and is committed to operating with respect to the environment and the surrounding communities,” the statement concluded.
