DE BEERS Canada signed an impact benefit agreement for the Snap Lake project with North Slave Metis Alliance (NSMA), a non-profit organisation representing the direct descendants of the Metis aboriginal people. The Metis occupied land in the North Slave region of the Northwest.%%This is the third impact benefit agreement by De Beers for the Snap Lake with the first completed with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation in November 2005. The second was an agreement with the Tlicho Government in March 2006.%%The agreement formalises the NSMA’s participation in the Snap Lake mine through business contracts, training and employment opportunities, scholarships and financial benefits. The Snap Lake mine will employ 500 people during full production and will yield 1.5 mn carats per year. It will be at the first underground diamond mine in Canada and is De Beers’ first mine outside of Africa. The project is under construction and is scheduled to begin production in October 2007.