A first-of-its-kind discovery of diamonds in northern Manitoba has the prospecting industry hopeful a mine discovery could be in the province’s future.

Micro-diamonds were found by a Manitoba-based consortium recently in an area around Knee Lake, a remote area east of Oxford House. The diamonds, which are less than a millimeter in size, give prospectors hope there could be a mine there.

It is the first time evidence of diamonds has been found in Manitoba and Ruth Bezys, the president of the Manitoba Prospectors and Developers Association, said the work is just beginning. Bezys said more surveying of the land, from ground and air, will now take place.

“Now we’re definitely in the mining cycle where now there’s been something found, but it doesn’t mean it’s a mine,” she said. “We hope it is … but right now the first step is checked off.”

Bezys’ husband, Mark Fedikow, was part of the group that found the diamonds and announced it this week at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada conference in Toronto. Bezys said Fedikow long held on to the belief diamonds would be found there.

“I don’t think my husband ever gave up on knowing there was something in that area,” she said. “It takes money, a lot of money, to get into these really remote areas and in the end it had to be a partnership of four individuals who pooled their resources to make this happen.”

Bezys said the next steps will be expensive and will require the consortium to latch on with a company that can foot the bill for drilling.

“Drilling always tells you the truth. right now they’re only skimming the surface of this rock,” she said.

“…If we don’t do it, we will never know. We’ve peeled back a page and we know where to do the concentrated work and effort, and we may hit something that ends up being a mine.”

Trade Minister Cliff Cullen lauded the group for their work and said it provides hope for another economic boost in Manitoba.

“The world’s mining sector is taking notice of Manitoba’s mineral resource potential and our business and investment-friendly environment,” Cullen said in a statement. “Our government is very pleased by these recent developments and will continue to create the welcoming conditions necessary for the attraction of investment in our mineral resources.”

dlarkins@postmedia.com

Twitter: @LarkinsWSun