Bedrock at the Ekati Project is dominated by Archean granitoids, intruded by metagreywackes of the YK Supergroup and transected by Proterozoic mafic dykes. No younger cover sediments are preserved. Bedrock is overlain by Quaternary glacial deposits which are generally less than 5 m thick.

The 45 to 75 Ma kimberlites, part of the Lac de Gras kimberlite field, intrude both the granitoids and metasediments. The kimberlites are mostly small pipe-like bodies (surface area predominantly <3 ha but can reach as much as 20 ha) that typically extend to projected depths of 400–600 m below the current land surface. Kimberlite distribution is controlled by fault zones, fault intersections and dyke swarms.

The kimberlites are made up almost exclusively of volcaniclastic olivine-rich volcaniclastic kimberlite (VK), with lesser mud-rich, resedimented volcaniclastic kimberlite (RVK) and primary volcaniclastic kimberlite (PVK). In rare cases (e.g. Pigeon), pipes are dominated by or include significant proportions of magmatic kimberlite (MK). Economic mineralization is mostly limited to olivine-rich resedimented volcaniclastic and primary volcaniclastic types.

Diamond grades are highly variable. Estimated average grades for kimberlites that have been bulk sampled range from less than 0.05 cpt to more than 4 cpt.

At the Ekati Diamond Mine, miners use two methods to remove the diamond-rich kimberlite ore from the ground: open pit mining and underground mining. In open pit mines, workers remove waste rock and earth to get to the kimberlite pipe using digging equipment and explosives. In underground mines, spiral-shaped tunnels are built to allow mining equipment to drill, blast, dig, and haul the ore from deeper parts of the kimberlite pipes.

The Ekati Diamond Mine plan involves bringing pits and underground mines into production over time:
• Panda, Koala, Koala North, Beartooth, Fox, Lynx, and Misery open pits have all been developed, placed into production, and are now closed.
• Panda, Koala, and Koala North underground mines have all been developed, placed into production, and are now closed.
• Beartooth, Panda, and Koala pits have all become containment facilities for fine processed kimberlite.
• Open pit mining production in Sable and Pigeon pits and underground mining at Misery Underground was ongoing throughout the reporting period. Mining production concluded in Pigeon Pit in April 2022.

Current mining operations are focused on mining ore from Misery Underground and Sable open pit. Production of these ore bodies will continue through 2022. Arctic Canadian will continue to progress the Point Lake project, with fish-out and dewatering of Point Lake scheduled for 2022.

Optimization study of the Jay Project is ongoing.

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