Why Canada Is Closing One of the World's Most Extraordinary Diamond Mines

Why is Canada closing one of the world's most extraordinary diamond mines? Deep in Canada's Northwest Territories, on an island surrounded by the frozen waters of Lac de Gras, the Diavik Diamond Mine operated for more than two decades in one of the most remote industrial environments on Earth. Mining began in 2003, and after 23 years of operation, Diavik delivered its final production in March 2026 after producing more than 150 million carats of rough diamonds. Rio Tinto But shutting down a diamond mine in the Arctic is not as simple as turning off the machines. Diavik was built on an island in a remote sub-Arctic environment, using both open-pit and underground mining methods across four diamond-bearing pipes. Rio Tinto Now the engineering mission has completely changed. Instead of extracting diamonds, crews must dismantle infrastructure, secure underground areas, manage water, stabilize disturbed land, monitor wildlife and reclaim the site. In this documentary, we explore: - How Diavik was built on an Arctic island - How engineers kept the surrounding lake water out - How diamonds were mined beneath the frozen North - Why Diavik eventually moved from open-pit to underground mining - How more than 150 million carats of diamonds were produced - Why the mine reached the end of its economic reserves - How an enormous Arctic mine is being dismantled - The engineering challenges of mine closure - Water, wildlife and environmental monitoring - Progressive reclamation - The future of the Diavik site Closure activities are planned to continue through 2029, followed by post-closure monitoring. Rio Tinto The story of Diavik began with diamonds hidden beneath a remote Arctic landscape. 00:00 The Diamond Mine Built on a Frozen Lake 00:33 Inside Canada's Diavik Diamond Mine 01:24 A Diamond Mine Built on an Island 03:08 Mining Beneath the Frozen North 04:58 When the Diamonds Run Out 06:44 Taking Apart an Arctic Mine 08:37 The Mine That Has to Disappear 10:38 What Remains After the Diamonds #DiavikDiamondMine #Canada #DiamondMining