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Article: Mining for diamonds.(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- SaskBusiness
- Article date:
- May 1, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Sunrise Publishing Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Will diamond mining be a new engine of prosperity for Saskatchewan in the 21st century?
The basis of this optimism is the discovery of kimberlites, rare, carrot-shaped rock formations that sometimes contain diamonds. About one in 10 kimberlite "pipes" has diamonds, and one in 100 is considered to be economically viable for mining.
Saskatchewan's first kimberlite was found at Sturgeon Lake in 1988. Since then more than 50 kimberlites have been found in the province. It is likely just a matter of time before one of the deposits yields significant numbers of gem-grade stones.
The discovery at Sturgeon Lake, following several decades of prospecting ...