Aber Resources / Tiffany Co. Alliance

The mining group of Stikeman, Elliott, led by Janis Busse in the firm’s Vancouver office, acted for Aber Resources Ltd. in the creation of a unique North American diamond alliance that teams Aber with high-end jewellery retailer Tiffany and Co.. Tiffany has made a $104 million equity investment in Aber and a joint arrangement will give Tiffany access to a substantial portion of Aber’s 40 per cent share in the anticipated production from the Diavik Diamond project in the Northwest Territories. The arrangement channels rough diamonds from the mine, expected to come into production in 2003, directly to the retailer. Tiffany was represented by their general counsel in New York, Patrick Dorsey, and by Stephen Halperin and Georges Dube of Goodman Phillips & Vineberg in Toronto.