Canadian Diamonds Robotics and Design in Canada
Article by Anuppa Caleekal © published 2007 , Digitalism Magazine © www.digitalism.ca
After years of diamond exploration, The Canadian Diamond Rush in 1991 was sparked by the great diamond discovery at Point Lake in Canada’s Northwest Territories. Ever since this discovery, there has been an increased interest in the development of new diamond mines as well as consumer interest in purchasing Canadian diamonds.
THE MINES
The two larger mines are Ekati and Diavik which are both located in the Northwest Territories. Ekati which is with BHP Billiton Australian resource company having an 80% stake, is the only one with a labour union. Diavik is predominantly owned by Rio Tinto London, England. The Jericho Diamond Mine is the first mine to be located in Nunavut outside the Northwest territories and is about 400 km northeast of Yellowknife, operating since 2006 owned by Tahera, a Canadian company having strategic partnerships with American Company Tiffany & Co.and De Beers Canada Inc. With the new Tiffany store located in Vancouver,which is also home of many Canadian diamond jewellers, the Canadian diamonds Tiffany sells from this location will no doubt be considered by many as the axis of luxury, a strategic gain for Tahera.
The Snap lake Diamond Mine, also in The Northwest Territories of Canada is the first Canadian company owned by De Beers initiated after almost 30 years of exploration activity in Canada, with production to commence sometime in 2007.
The Victor Diamond Mine starting production in 2008 will be In Ontario, and also the first Ontario Canadian Diamond Mine. Victor mine is owned and built by DeBeers. There is also diamond exploration plans by DeBeers in Saskatchewan with talk of two more mines operating there by 2011.
ROBOTICS FUTURE OF CANADIAN DIAMONDS CUT AND POLISHED IN CANADA
As the demand for Canadian diamonds increases so does the demand for Canadian diamonds to be cut and polished within Canadian soil. As to this date there is not an accurate method to test a diamond to determine its place of birth as to where it was mined. The pressure to gain a strong foot in developing secondary industries which are Canadian owned is a necessity not just from a simple nationalistic dream, but also from the desire of bringing more added value and benefit to this indigenous Canadian resource so as to support sustainable development and growth in Canada not solely for export purposes.
Apparently at present there are four polishing plants in Yellowknife namely, Arslanian Cutting Works, Sirius Diamonds, Canada Dene Diamond and Tiffany and Co. For Canada to keep up with the demand of cutting and polishing to remain within Canada, there needs to be a stronger investment in educational training in these specialized fields. Time is not on the side for training to catch up with the increase in demand for Canadian Diamonds to be cut and polished in Canada.
Uri Ariel, CEO of Vancouver-based jewelry manufacturer Hyperion Industries owned by HRA Investment Ltd operating since 2001 may well have an immediate solution. Robotics is the key to his high tech solution for the future of Canadian diamond cutting and polishing. (Source: Diamonds by Louis Perron Minerals and Metals Sector,Natural Resources Canada. http://www.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca/mms/cmy/content/2005/26.pdf)
With robots although capital intensive, in the long term there are savings as the hallmark of quality in cut and polish can be done within a fraction of the time it takes a human diamond cutter, with precision , no problems of labour conflicts or absenteeism and a longer production cycle. Working with Etaki and Diavik, these Canadian diamonds supplied to Ariel to be cut and polished in this high tech fashion will increase in value simply because it is being cut and polished in Canada.
DESIGN : THE NEXT STAGE FOR CANADIAN DIAMONDS
The next stage of demand for Canadian Diamonds after being cut and polished in Canada will be the increasing demand for design and custom work done by jewellers in Canada.
A promising award winning talent world renowned in the custom design jewellery industry is Per Wendel Madsen on Granville Island, Vancouver, Canada. To view his work visit his website at
http://www.perwendelmadsen.com/
At present he has a limited edition Jewellery in 18k white and yellow gold entitled “The Maple Leaf Collection” set with Canadian mined diamonds
Contact:
THE ATELIER OF PER WENDEL MADSEN
DESIGNER OF FINE HANDCRAFTED JEWELLERY
1490 JOHNSTON STREET
GRANVILLE ISLAND
VANCOUVER, B.C.
V6H 3S1 CANADA
PHONE 604.684.0707