# Jericho Diamond Mine

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Diamond mine in Nunavut, Canada

Jericho Diamond Mine Jericho Diamond Mine from the air Jericho Diamond Mine Location Show map of Nunavut Jericho Diamond Mine Jericho Diamond Mine (Canada) Show map of Canada Location Territory Nunavut Country Canada Coordinates 65°59′50″N 111°28′30″W / 65.99722°N 111.47500°W / 65.99722; -111.47500 History Opened 2006 (2006) Closed 2008 Owner Company Shear Diamonds Ltd. Website www.sheardiamonds.com/jericho.html Year of acquisition 2010

The **Jericho Diamond Mine** is a dormant [diamond](/source/Diamond) [mine](/source/Mining) located in [Canada](/source/Canada)'s [Nunavut](/source/Nunavut) territory. Jericho is Nunavut's first and only diamond mine. It is located 420 km (260 mi) northeast of [Yellowknife](/source/Yellowknife), [Northwest Territories](/source/Northwest_Territories) and is accessible by air all year and by [winter road](/source/Winter_road) from Yellowknife. The project was mined from 2006 to 2008, and produced 780,000 [carats](/source/Carat_(mass)) (156 kg; 344 lb) of diamonds from 1,200,000 [tonnes](/source/Tonne) (1,200,000 long tons; 1,300,000 short tons) of [kimberlite](/source/Kimberlite) mined from the open pit operation. Over $200 million was invested in the development of the Jericho operations including the construction of a 2,000 t (2,000 long tons; 2,200 short tons) per day diamond recovery plant, maintenance facility, fuel farm, and offices and accommodation for 225 personnel.

On July 19, 2010, Shear Diamonds (née Shear Minerals Ltd) ([TSX-V](/source/TSX_Venture_Exchange): [SRM](https://money.tmx.com/en/quote/SRM)), a diamond exploration company focused on the Nunavut region, announced its purchase of the Jericho Diamond Mine.[1] In late 2010, Shear announced that it would take about a year to devise a plan to reopen the mine.[2] Shear began processing the existing recovery reject pile in early 2012, selling the recovered stones to Belgian diamond firm Taché,[3] which provided a revolving line of credit. However, operations were suspended in September, as Shear, citing "limited funds and significant operations", has sought to minimize expenditures. Taché has given notice of default on certain covenants of their investment agreement, but is working with Shear to find funding or a purchaser.[4]

## Operations

The mine was developed, opened and operated by [Tahera Diamond Corporation](/source/Tahera_(mining_company)). The company was provided with [CAN $](/source/Canadian_dollar)35 million loan by [Tiffany & Co.](/source/Tiffany_%26_Co.) to assist in construction of the site, as part of a marketing alliance. The mine produced diamonds from 2006 to February 2008, and was Tahera's only mining operation. The company reported financial losses in 2007 due to operational difficulties, the high value of the Canadian dollar, high oil prices, and the short operating season of the [Tibbitt to Contwoyto](/source/Tibbitt_to_Contwoyto_Winter_Road) [ice road](/source/Ice_road) in 2006. Tahera filed for protection from creditors in January 2008, and the mine stopped recovering diamonds once existing ore stockpiles ran out, one month later.

There is no registered airport at the site, so all heavy equipment had to be brought in by the Tibbitt-to-Contwoyto winter road. Due to the remoteness of the site, the mine was part of the impetus for a proposal to build a [port](/source/Port) near the community of [Bathurst Inlet](/source/Bathurst_Inlet%2C_Nunavut) with a road to both the [Diavik Diamond Mine](/source/Diavik_Diamond_Mine) and the [Ekati Diamond Mine](/source/Ekati_Diamond_Mine).

## Production

The mine was estimated to be able to produce 375,000 carats (75 kg; 165 lb) a year with a value of CAN $25 million. In the first half of 2006 the mine had processed 210,000 t (210,000 long tons; 230,000 short tons) for 126,918 carats (25 kg; 56 lb).

## See also

- [Jericho pipe](/source/Jericho_pipe)

## Notes and references

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Press release announcing sale"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110616032126/http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Shear-Minerals-Ltd-to-Acquire-Jericho-Diamond-Mine-Nunavut-TSX-VENTURE-SRM-1292163.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Shear-Minerals-Ltd-to-Acquire-Jericho-Diamond-Mine-Nunavut-TSX-VENTURE-SRM-1292163.htm) on 2011-06-16. Retrieved 2011-01-08.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Shear plans to reopen mine"](https://web.archive.org/web/20101229112456/http://www.israelidiamond.co.il/english/News.aspx?boneID=918&objID=8451). Archived from [the original](http://www.israelidiamond.co.il/english/News.aspx?boneID=918&objID=8451) on 2010-12-29. Retrieved 2011-01-08.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Nunavut's 1st diamond mine could re-open"](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nunavut-s-1st-diamond-mine-could-re-open-1.1127977). *CBC.ca*. 4 January 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** *jewelryne.ws*. 23 October 2012 [http://www.jewelryne.ws/shear-diamonds-updates-financial-and-operational-status-continues-to-seek-transaction-to-allow-project-to-advance/](http://www.jewelryne.ws/shear-diamonds-updates-financial-and-operational-status-continues-to-seek-transaction-to-allow-project-to-advance/). Retrieved 4 November 2012. {{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news)}}: Missing or empty |title= ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#citation_missing_title))CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

## External links

- [Shear Diamonds](https://web.archive.org/web/20120621022937/http://www.sheardiamonds.com/)

- [Tahera Diamond Corporation - Jericho exploration](http://www.tahera.com/Operations/Exploration/JerichoProperty/default.aspx)

- [Tahera Diamond Corporation - Jericho Diamond Mine](http://www.tahera.com/Operations/Mining/JerichoDiamondMine/default.aspx)

- [Government of Canada - backgrounder on "Mining in the North"](https://web.archive.org/web/20060614050238/http://ainc-inac.gc.ca/nr/prs/s-d2003/02378abk_e.html)

- [CBC report on construction of the mine](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/construction-begins-on-nunavut-diamond-mine-1.548233)

- [NNSL "Opportunities North" - deep water port at Bathurst Inlet](https://web.archive.org/web/20060813142600/http://www.nnsl.com/opps2006/intro.html)

- [Tache Alliance - diamond and jewellery company](http://www.tachediamonds.com/)

v t e Subdivisions of Nunavut Regions Kitikmeot (Unorganized) Kivalliq (Unorganized) Qikiqtaaluk (Unorganized) Electoral districts Federal Nunavut Territorial Aggu Aivilik Amittuq Arviat North-Whale Cove Arviat South Baker Lake Cambridge Bay Gjoa Haven Hudson Bay Iqaluit-Manirajak Iqaluit-Niaqunnguu Iqaluit-Sinaa Iqaluit-Tasiluk Kugluktuk Netsilik Pangnirtung Quttiktuq Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet Rankin Inlet South South Baffin Tununiq Uqqummiut Communities Arctic Bay Arviat Baker Lake Bathurst Inlet Cambridge Bay Chesterfield Inlet Clyde River Coral Harbour Gjoa Haven Grise Fiord Igloolik Iqaluit Apex Kimmirut Kinngait Kugaaruk Kugluktuk Naujaat Pangnirtung Pond Inlet Qikiqtarjuaq Rankin Inlet Resolute Sanikiluaq Sanirajak Taloyoak Whale Cove Weather stations and Canadian Armed Forces bases Alert CFS Alert Ennadai Eureka Isachsen Nanisivik Naval Facility Mine sites Operating Baffinland Iron Mine Doris North Meadowbank Gold Mine Defunct Bent Horn Mine Cullaton Lake/Shear Lake Mine Jericho Diamond Mine Lupin Mine Nanisivik Mine Polaris mine Rankin Inlet Mine DEW line and NWS sites Bernard Harbour Bray Island Brevoort Island Broughton Island Byron Bay Cambridge Bay Cape Dyer Cape Hooper Cape Mcloughlin Cape Mercy Cape Peel West Cape Young Clifton Point Clinton Point Croker River Dewar Lakes Durban Island Edinburgh Island Ekalugad Gjoa Haven Gladman Point Harding River Hat Island Kangok Fjord Keats Point Keith Bay Kivitoo Lady Franklin Point Lailor River Loks Land Longstaff Bluff Mackar Inlet Matheson Point Nudluardjuk Lake Pelly Bay Qikiqtaryuaq Resolution Island Ross Point Rowley Island Sanirajak Scarpa Lake Shepherd Bay Simpson Lake Sturt Point Former Amadjuak Brooman Point Village Craig Harbour Dundas Harbour Iglunga Killiniq Nanisivik Native Point Nuwata Padlei Port Leopold Tavani Hudson's Bay Company trading posts Amadjuak Apex Arctic Bay Baker Lake Bathurst Inlet Bay Chimo Belcher Islands Blacklead Island Cambridge Bay Cape Dorset Charlton Island Depot Chesterfield Inlet Clyde River Coats Island Dundas Harbour Eskimo Point Fort Hearne Fort Ross Frobisher Bay Gjoa Haven Igloolik Kent Peninsula King William Island Kugaryuak Lake Harbour Mansel Island Nueltin House Padley Pangnirtung Pangnirtung Fox Farm Perry River Ponds Inlet Port Burwell Port Leopold Repulse Bay Southampton Island Tavane Tree River Wager Inlet

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jericho Diamond Mine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho_Diamond_Mine) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho_Diamond_Mine?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.