According to a study investigating the potential impact of the Fort a la Corne diamond mine in Saskatchewan, it could bring big benefits, but there also may be large costs.
In response to the report, Prince Albert Mayor Jim Scarrow stated: "With increased spending to the tune of $223 million in the region on an annual basis, there will definitely be opportunities for every man, woman and child in the region.”
The study investigated the potential effects of the Fort a la Corne diamond mine. The servicing of the mine and its related industries will necessitate a pool of skilled and unskilled labor. Increased traffic on area roads and highways will require greater infrastructure resources. Expansion will be required in the areas of housing as well as facilities for health care, education and recreation.
Marc Hauser, chair of the Prince Albert Regional Economic Development Authority (PAREDA), asked: "Who's going to pay for the increased demand on our infrastructure? The last thing we want to happen is an industry makes a decision to do something and we're not ready so they can't do it."
Fort a la Corne’s operator, Shore Gold, hopes to publish a resource estimate this year on the volume of diamonds at the Star kimberlite at Fort a la Corne. Subsequently, a study will be conducted to determine if it is economically viable to build a mine.
If a mine is pursued at Fort a la Corne, construction and development will take at least 3 years; thus the mine will be in production by 2011.
