Diamonds and Opportunity: Q&A with Gacho Kué’s Kimi Balsillie

From mine to market, women play an integral role in the journey of a diamond. This article is part of a series around International Women’s Day that profiles women working in each stage of a diamond’s journey and the impact it has on their lives.

Kimi Balsillie is an Environmental Officer at Gahcho Kué Diamond Mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories. Since the discovery of diamonds in the Northwest Territories in the early 1990s, Canada has become an increasingly important producer, and now ranks third in worldwide diamond production. The Canadian tundra has offered both riches and extraordinary career opportunities, especially for women and the territory’s indigenous people.

Balsillie is a Yellowknife native and a Métis — a group descended from the First Nations people and early European settlers. She personifies how diamond mining has changed the region for the better. With a position that focuses on employee safety and environmental standards, her work is also a testament to the industry’s respect for the vast, mineral-rich land where the world’s most precious gems are discovered.

We recently conducted a Q&A with Kimi to get a personal look into a career in mining, her participation in a recent collaboration with The New York Times, and what life in the Northwest Territories is really like.

Q: Can you describe the progression of your career in diamond mining, and what your work entails?

A: Growing up in Yellowknife, environmental protection was something that was always instilled in me. A common saying among elders is, “If you protect the land, the land will protect you,” and that is something I’ve carried with me throughout my life — both personally and professionally.

I started my career in diamond mining in 2011, working for the government in reviewing environmental assessments for mines. Switching gears, I now work at a mine site, doing the work that was reviewed. Being on both sides — in both government and the private sector of the diamond mining industry — has allowed me to really understand the bigger picture. I now have a holistic view of the immense restrictions and importance that both sectors place on employee safety, environmental standards, and respect of the indigenous communities. There are three golden rules that we live by: Zero harm, improve continually and always be resource compliant. It takes work, but it’s work that’s well worth the effort.

Q: What is it like to live in Gahcho Kué?

A: It’s a small, but really supportive community here at Gahcho Kué. During the day it’s work, but at night it’s social. It’s a really inclusive environment. For many of us here, the diamond industry has allowed us an amazing opportunity that we would not have otherwise had. There was a time when I thought I’d need to move away from Yellowknife due to the lack of career options. The cost of living in the Northwest Territories is high, and the town was definitely in a funk. Then diamonds were discovered, and the city rebounded. For that reason, I think a lot of us have something in common — the diamond dream. It’s how you fuel your life with your job.

Q: As a Yellowknife native, have you seen a difference in the city since the discovery of diamonds the Northwest Territories in the 1990s?

A: As soon as diamonds came north, the city’s energy came alive. The diamond companies look to hire as many Northern residents as possible, so there has been a huge upswing in the amount of job opportunities. You also quickly saw facelifts in the town buildings, an increase of hotels and tourism — it has all evolved. The diamond industry really supported the growth of our community, and allowed me personally to build a career in the town I grew up in.

Q: What was it like to be involved in The New York Times collaboration?

A: Starting my career at Gahcho Kué, I never ever thought I would be in The New York Times. This was an opportunity that I truly enjoyed being a part of because it is a story that I wanted to tell. Many people aren’t aware of what a diamond mine is really like, the benefit that these mines bring to communities, and the good that diamonds really do — especially in the remote north!

Click here to read more articles from the International Women’s Day series