The Minister of Lands of the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Honourable Robert C. McLeod, has accepted the recommendations of the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board that Dominion Diamond Corporation’s Jay Project be approved, subject to the measures described in the Report of Environmental Assessment.

Dominion will file water licence and land use permit applications shortly, beginning the final step in the environmental approval of the project. Brendan Bell, Chief Executive Officer, commented, “This is an important milestone for Dominion and for the Northern economy. Dominion thanks Minister McLeod and the GNWT for their work and looks forward to a timely completion of the permitting process.” Jay is the most significant undeveloped deposit at Ekati. Jay alone has the potential to extend the mine life approximately 10 to 11 years beyond the current projected closure of Ekati. The company expects to publish a feasibility study on the Jay Project later this month.