Snap Lake Diamond Mine Snap Lake Diamond Mine Snap Lake Mine is a remote fly-in/fly-out operation located about northeast of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, and, according to De Beers, was the first De Beers mine outside of Africa. It was also Canada's first completely underground diamond mine. Construction began with the opening of an access winter road in 2005. By the end of 2013, De Beers had spent US$1.8 billion on construction and mine operation. Of that total, De Beers spent US$1.3 billion with Northwest Territories-based contractors and suppliers, including US$723 million with Aboriginal businesses or joint ventures. The mine began commercial production on January
Underground mine ventilation the permafrost heating may not take place to prevent melting the permafrost. "Cold mines" such as Raglan Mine and Nanisivik Mine are designed to operate below 0°C. The wet bulb temperature in any working place does not exceed 33.5°C and where the wet bulb temperature exceeds 30.5°C arrangements are made to ventilate the same with a current of air moving at a speed of not less than one metre per second; Underground mine ventilation Underground mine ventilation provides a flow of air to the underground workings of a mine of sufficient volume to dilute and remove dust and noxious gases