Canada's Environment and Climate Change ministry has fined De Beers Canada C$350,000 for a diesel spill at De Beers' Snap Lake mine in Northwest Territories.
In December 2017, an investigation by the department's enforcement officers found that up to 1,125 litres diesel had been spilled at Snap Lake. The diesel spill was a result of a fuel transfer between two above-ground storage tanks, the department said.
De Beers Canada pleaded guilty to one offence under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, and was sentenced to the fine.
The fine will be put towards the Canadian government's Environmental Damages Fund. De Beers Canada will also be added to the Environmental Offenders Registry.
The Snap Lake diamond mine is located 220 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife, and was opened in 2008. The mine was put on care and maintenance in 2015.
In October 2017, De Beers created a partnership with the local Det'on Cho Corporation business development arm of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation.
The partners signed a three-year contract for DCC to provide care and maintenance services alongside De Beers Canada staff.
DCC provided workers for site safety, camp support, travel and logistics, environmental monitoring and management services.
De Beers Canada has two operating diamond mines in Canada, the Victor mine in northern Ontario and Gahcho Kue in Northwest Territories.
