Dominion applying to expand exploration project east of Ekati

Dominion Diamond Mines is looking to expand a major exploration program east of Ekati mine.

On Dec. 24, the company applied to the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board to amend a permit and licence it got two and a half years ago for exploration work on its Glowworm Lake block of claims.

With a total area of 1,400 square kilometres, the block is 380 kilometres east northeast of Yellowknife and overlaps the N.W.T.-Nunavut border.

Dominion wants to be allowed to do enough drilling and blasting to take up to 1,200 tonnes of bulk samples each year. It also wants permission to build winter roads within the claim block, add additional exploration camps and include four more claims to the exploration area.

Any winter roads built could connect to a spur off the Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road. Currently, the claim block is accessible only by aircraft.

With a 40 per cent stake in the Diavik diamond mine and a 90 per cent stake in Ekati, Dominion is the most active N.W.T. diamond miner. But it is also the least public, since being bought by the privately-held Washington Companies two and a half years ago for $1.2 billion.

As a private company, Dominion is not subject to the rules of public disclosure that apply to companies whose shares are traded on stock exchanges. It did not respond to calls and emails from CBC for this story.

Dominion got the right to explore the Glowworm Lake block of claims after the block was released by the Diavik Joint Venture in 2016.

It is asking the land and water board for a licence that runs for five years with the option of renewing it for another two.