ATTAWAPISKAT – Blocked – The De Beers Diamond mine is blockaded again. The mine, near Attawapiskat has access to the road blocked.  About nine people are blocking the road, and restricting access by road to the mine. The blockade that ended on February 7th is now back up, effectively shutting down the traffic in and out of the mine. 

De Beers is seeking Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence and the Band Council to end the blockade. In a letter to the Band delivered on Tuesday the company says, “As the leaders of the community we urge you to use best efforts and to take appropriate steps to ensure that this unlawful activity cease immediately”.

De Beers Victor Mine Road Blockaded

Tom Ormsby states, “The annual winter road program is the main method of bulk re-supply to the mine and is designed to replenish the existing supplies being used at the mine. Our program provides the annual predictable non-perishable supplies for the mine such as lube & oil, camp supplies, spare parts, tires, new equipment, fuel, etc.”

“Local community businesses are contracted by De Beers to build and maintain the winter road as well as deliver the fuel and freight. Those contracts are worth millions of dollars to local businesses and create hundreds of direct and indirect positions in the local communities each winter,” adds Ormsby. 

“We carry out charter flights year round to the mine to transport our employees, replenish perishable items such as food and to bring in emergency spare parts. We save the bulk of the re-supply for the winter road in order to transport items we cannot fly, efficiently manage costs and ensure economic viability of the operation”. 

More details on this blockade will be added as they come in on this breaking story…