Sturgeon Lake Part Of Diamond Mining Lore

Sturgeon Lake Part Of Diamond Mining Lore

Friday, June 03, 2005 at 15:02

Officials with a diamond exploration company are recalling the role Sturgeon Lake had in getting people excited about diamonds in Saskatchewan.

This is Saskatchewan Mining Week, and companies like Shore Gold are using the occasion to reflect on how the industry was shaped over the years.

Shore Gold spokesperson Kirsten Marcia notes that it was a kimberlite find in a gravel pit near Sturgeon Lake in 1988 that led to the start of the diamond hunt in Saskatchewan — and eventually the discovery of the major kimberlite deposits at Fort a la Corne.

Marcia notes the discovery in Saskatchewan came before the diamond finds in the Northwest Territories, which is now the home of two full-fledged diamond mines.

Shore Gold vice-president of exploration George Read says Saskatchewan could have its first diamond mine by 2010.