| It is said the sparkle from canadian diamond rings | | | | sells $100,000,000 worth of gemstones a year. |
| mimics the eerie and enchanting radiance of the | | | | This mine is expected to be in production for the |
| Northern Lights. This is a bit of a romantic notion | | | | next two decades and is currently responsible for |
| as it is actually the cut of the diamond, not its | | | | providing 5% of the worlds gemstone quality |
| national identity that makes it twinkle like a | | | | diamonds.The Jericho-3 mine is located near the |
| Northern star. Still Canadian diamonds are among | | | | north end of Contwoyto Lake in West Kitikmeot |
| the whitest in the world. Thanks to stringent | | | | in the Canadian Territory of Nunavut. It is |
| government regulations in the Northwest | | | | operated by the Tahera Diamond Corporation, |
| Territories they are also extremely high quality. | | | | which has been researching the viability of |
| This Canadian reputation for integrity means that | | | | operating the mine year round in Nunavit's harsh |
| canadian diamond rings are competing well in the | | | | climate. It has only been in business for several |
| gem stone jewelry market.Canadian diamonds are | | | | months but it is projected to be a generous |
| also quite special because they have only been | | | | resource of glittering diamonds for at least the |
| around about thirty years. Prior to their discovery | | | | next eight years.You know a diamond deposit is |
| in Canada's Artic north in 1985, the finest quality | | | | serious valuable when DeBeers decides to get a |
| diamonds were sourced from South Africa. This | | | | piece of the action. The Snap Lake mine, that is |
| monopoly was put to an end when two Canadian | | | | scheduled to open next year is owned and |
| geologists, Charles Fipke and his partner Stuart | | | | operated by the gargantuan South African mining |
| Blusson discovered a large vein of Kimberlite near | | | | company. This particular mine is located beneath a |
| Lac De Gras in the Yukon, Canada. This discovery | | | | lake in the James Bay Lowlands of Northern |
| was exciting as Kimberlite is the ideal | | | | Ontario. The nearest community is the coastal |
| stone-growing medium for high quality diamonds. | | | | village of Attawapiskat. This mine, which requires |
| Soon after this, in 1991, yet another source of | | | | a great deal of technological innovation to extract |
| diamonds in Kimberlite was found in Nunavit in the | | | | the Canadian diamonds from beneath tons of |
| Northwest Territories.The money to extract | | | | water, apparently has a rich deposit of gems that |
| these diamonds comes from the Canadian | | | | will produce for at least eight years.One of the |
| government and the gemstones that are | | | | great things about this mine is they have gone a |
| produced are also certified by the government | | | | long way towards making Canada's indigenous |
| body. This means that unlike many diamonds that | | | | people, Indians and Eskimos, quite wealthy The |
| you can buy today, the Canadian diamond can be | | | | mines provide high-income jobs with an average |
| traced back to the diamond it was mined from. | | | | salary of $63,000. These are permanent jobs that |
| Canadian diamonds are also etched with a serial | | | | are currently handled by aboriginal peoples such as |
| number as well as a teensy microscopic image of | | | | the Dene First Nation. When you buy canadian |
| a polar bear or a maple leaf. All diamonds mined in | | | | diamonds you are also supporting an indigenous |
| this conscientious country come with a Canadian | | | | culture.The relatively recent discoveries of these |
| Triple Guarantee, which assures the quality and | | | | diamond mines have caused a flurry of |
| purity of the rock.In the last thirty years, Canada | | | | excitement, not unlike the Yukon Gold Rush. |
| has risen to become one of the top three | | | | According to Statistics Canada, by February 2004 |
| producers of gemstone quality diamonds in the | | | | prospecting companies from all over the world laid |
| world. Although South Africa produces the most | | | | claim to more than 70 million acres in the |
| diamonds, many of them are for industrial and | | | | Northwest Territories and Nunavut. The most |
| technological uses. Currently Canada is the third | | | | dramatic increase in diamond prospecting is in |
| top producer of diamonds for rings behind | | | | Nunavut in Northern Ontario, where the number |
| Botswana and Russia.Two of the largest diamond | | | | of prospecting permits grew to 1,518 in 2004 |
| mines in Canada are located very near and just | | | | from just 190 in 2003.Over the years, Canadian |
| north of the city of Yellowknife in the North West | | | | Diamonds have earned quite a reputation for |
| Territories. Two mines are operated in this area - | | | | quality and integrity. As they are traceable, you |
| the Diavik and Ekati mines. The third big mine, | | | | know that they are not sold to fund terrorism in |
| called Jericho-3 just started mining operations in | | | | Angola or other African countries. Canadian |
| 2005 in Nunavut. A fourth mine called Snap | | | | diamonds are of very high quality with their most |
| Lake-4, which is in Northern Ontario (and quite a | | | | precious characteristic being their brilliant white |
| bit south of the other three diamond mines) is | | | | color. This is especially true of the diamonds that |
| scheduled to begin production in 2007.Charles | | | | come from the Ekati mines. Their purity and |
| Fipke and Stewart Blusson, the geologists who | | | | clarity makes a stellar diamond engagement |
| originally discovered the vein of Kimberlite, own | | | | ring.According to Statistics Canada, 13.8 million |
| Canada's first diamond mine, the Ekati Mine, along | | | | carats of diamonds worth approximately $2.8 |
| with the Australian mining conglomerate BHP | | | | billion were mined in Canada between 1998 and |
| Billton. This treasure trove is expected to be in | | | | 2002. This means that every day, Canadian mines |
| production for the next two decades. It currently | | | | produce $1.5 million worth of diamonds, which is |
| produces four per cent of the world's fine | | | | the equivalent of a 1.5 kilogram bag full of the |
| diamonds.The Diavik mine is cooperatively owned | | | | gems. Overall, Canada now produces 15% of the |
| by a British mining called Rio Tinto PLC and the | | | | worlds diamonds in total and this trend towards |
| the Aber Diamond Corp that is based in Toronto, | | | | prosperity will increase providing the weather |
| Ontario. It has been in production since 2003. It | | | | cooperates and these mines are always allowed |
| produces 8,000,000 carats of diamonds. This mine | | | | to operate with year round efficiency. |