The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.
Sudbury will continue to shine as one of Canada’s few diamond cutting and processing facilities because of a new agreement with the Government of Ontario.
Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci announced Tuesday that Vancouver- based Crossworks Manufacturing Inc. will receive the 2012-2015 allocation of diamonds from Victor Mine.
Crossworks runs the diamond processing facility in downtown Sudbury, employing 29 people to cut and polish the precious gems. The number of employees will increase to 50 during the next three years, said Bartolucci, who is minister of Northern Development and Mines.
Under an agreement between De Beers, which owns Victor Mine, and the Ontario government, 10% of diamonds mined at Victor must be processed in Ontario.
The latest allocation of rough diamonds from Victor will create jobs in the city and continue to promote the development of value-added industries in the city, said Bartolucci.
The newest agreement means about $35 million worth of diamonds will be processed in Sudbury every year.
Uri Ariel, president of Crossworks Manufacturing, called it an honour to purchase the Victor Mine diamond allocation.
“The past three years has laid the groundwork to truly develop a vibrant diamond industry in Ontario and we are excited to continue our work to make this an ever greater success in partnership with Ontario and De Beers Canada,” Ariel said in a written statement.
He said the Ontario government has fostered an environm e nt in which secondary industry can thrive, one in which “we can proudly say that diamonds are mined, cut and polished in Ontario.”
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