Negotiations in diamond mine development halted.The potential development of Ontario's first diamond mine was put on hold in July July: see month. . In a surprise move, the Attawapiskat First Nations community told De Beers. Canada Corp. it had decided to suspend its consultation process with De Beers. With exploration at the Victor diamond site complete, DeBeers and its engineering consultants are in the midst Adv. 1. in the midst - the middle or central part or point; "in the midst of the forest"; "could he walk out in the midst of his piece?" midmost of a pre-feasibility study to determine if it is worth building a mine in a muskeg mus·keg also mas·keg n. A swamp or bog formed by an accumulation of sphagnum moss, leaves, and decayed matter resembling peat. [Cree maskek. area about 90 kiometres inland from Attawapiskat. The study is expected to be wrapped up by either October or November, at which time the decision was to have been made to proceed to a full-blown feasibility study The analysis of a problem to determine if it can be solved effectively. The operational (will it work?), economical (costs and benefits) and technical (can it be built?) aspects are part of the study. Results of the study determine whether the solution should be implemented. likely to take 12 to 18 months. If the project were approved by the board of directors, construction could begin in 2005-06, with an eventual mine operating life of 11 to 12 years. To date, the company has invested about $40 million to excavate 9,650 tonnes of kimberlite kimberlite: see diamond. kimberlite or blue ground Dark, heavy, often fragmented igneous rock that may contain diamonds in the rock matrix. rock at the Victor project. The First Nation intends to seek legal advice and carry out an independent internal review on the matter. The First Nation terminated the community consultation process claiming both federal and provincial governments have not adequately consulted with them. The community of 1,600 wants to protect their hunting, fishing and trapping trapping, most broadly, the use of mechanical or deceptive devices to capture, kill, or injure animals. It may be applied to the practice of using birdlime to capture birds, lobster pots to trap lobsters, and seines to catch fish. territory, and claim they have not been properly served by the De Beers' agreement. An official with the company says the issues of Aboriginal treaty rights seems to be a shift in focus from the previous First Nations' agenda |
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