As an NWT diamond mine closes, these workers want to stay in the north

A long-serving mine in the NWT is winding down operations and turning a new page with a focus on recovery.

The Diavik diamond mine has been operating for decades, producing more than 150 million carats of diamonds, according to mine owner Rio Tinto.

It closed forever on Tuesday.

Hundreds of people have worked in the mine. At its peak, Diavik employed over 1,000 people. Not all of them are from the North, but at least some of those who have found their way to the region say they want to stay.

They include Shawn Sinclair, originally from Ontario, who has lived in the area for a little more than a decade.

Sinclair said he began working with Diavik when he was getting his master’s degree. He eventually got a full-time job and is now the closure manager at the mine.

But not only this. Sinclair also met his wife in Yellowknife, he said. And, as it turns out, she also works as a diva.

“We both love Yellowknife so much,” Sinclair said. “Definitely not planning on going, but we’ll see what happens.”

Major Projects Next Opportunity

Other employees, including Mike Lowing, chief advisor for health, safety and environment, have similar sentiments.

Loing said he has lived in Yellowknife since 1974.

“Yellowknife is a very interesting, dynamic place, I’ve lived here most of my life,” he said. “My family is there, my friends are there. There is a great future for Yellowknife despite the challenges of closing the diamond mines.”

Lowing said Diavik’s closure will impact many communities throughout the region. But despite not knowing what he’ll do next, there are some possibilities.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced 35 billion dollar investment plan To the north during a visit to Yellowknife earlier this month.

Part of his announcement reaffirmed federal support for the McKenzie Valley Highway project and the Talbotson Hydro expansion, in addition to support for the Arctic Economic and Security Corridor. Carney said work on the highway will begin as early as this summer.

Loing said he has his game to work on.

“A lot of these projects, like Diavik, are the first to head north for the workforce, so there will be a big opportunity there,” he said. “I’ll jump on them.”

a golden return

Although this mine is closing, it does not mean that mining should stop completely. This is the decision of Diavik’s senior advisor Alex Clinton. He has also lived in Yellowknife for decades.

“I’m expecting a lot of mining in these areas, the potential is huge,” he said.

Clinton said he wanted to focus on gold in the area’s mining future. The demand for precious metal has been continuously increasing over the years. And it looks like work is underway to make that happen.

Yellowknife also has a long history of gold mining. The city’s first gold mine The first gold brick was cast in 1938.

more recently, a new winter road Highway 4, about 20 kilometers east of Yellowknife, will serve as a route to transport equipment to the Mon Mine as mining company Sixty North Gold prepares to reopen the mine this year after nearly 30 years of inactivity.

The gold mine, located approximately 45 kilometers north of Yellowknife, was in operation between 1991 and 1997, during which time approximately 15,000 ounces of gold was recovered.

It closed after gold prices fell below US$300 an ounce. In early 2026, the price of gold broke previous records, surpassing US$5,000 per ounce.

“The market is back in a big way,” Clinton said.

Clinton also said he wanted to live in the North. He says his children were born in the NWT and hopes there will be opportunities for them in the same industry he has spent his life in.