(IDEX Online News) – Mountain Province Diamonds has announced that the Gahcho Kué is progressing according to plan and that the overall project is more than 87-percent complete.

Mountain Province Diamonds president and CEO Patrick Evans, said that the ice road deliveries to the mine had occurred according to plan, including the delivery of critical large mining equipment.

The company also announced that the Gahcho Kué Joint Venture has appointed Allan Rodel as mine general manager. Rodel joined the De Beers Group in 1997 and has held a number of senior management positions, including that of Gahcho Kué project manager since 2013.

Nine senior operational appointments have also been made at the mine, including the mining manager, engineering and maintenance manager, ore processing manager and technical services manager.

“We continue to make excellent progress at Gahcho Kué. Key areas of focus are remaining earthworks, commissioning of the primary crusher and diamond plant, pre-stripping and stockpiling of kimberlite as well as preparations for operational readiness,” said Evans.

The Gahcho Kué diamond mine is located in Canada’s Northwest Territories and is a partnership project between Mountain Province Diamonds, which holds a 49 percent stake, and De Beers Canada, which holds the remainder.

First production is planned to commence in the second half of 2016.