Toronto: Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. announced that development of the Gahcho Kué diamond mine is progressing according to plan and budget with the overall project approximately 62 percent complete at the end of May, 2015. Key areas of focus are continued dewatering to expose the kimberlites, the placement of concrete foundations and the erection of steel superstructures of the major facilities. A key milestone is to ensure that the process plant building is enclosed by October 2015.

Patrick Evans, Mountain Province President and CEO, commented: “We’re on track for first production in H2 2016 and are currently making arrangements to be in a position to receive and sell our 49 percent share of diamond production. These arrangements are expected to be in place by the end of 2015.”

There are currently approximately 500 employees and contractors on site at Gahcho Kué and this number is expected to peak at approximately 650 during the third quarter of 2015.

Mountain Province Diamonds is a 49% participant with De Beers Canada in the Gahcho Kué diamond mine located in Canada’s Northwest Territories. The Gahcho Kué Project consists of a cluster of four diamondiferous kimberlites, three of which have a probable mineral reserve of 35.4 million tonnes grading 1.57 carats per tonne for total diamond content of 55.5 million carats.