Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 17/98) - Solving land claim issues is the single-most important key to resource development in the Northwest Territories, according to a top mining and geology professor.

When it comes to mining, "the land issue is very complex. Without a land solution, nothing can be done," Sukumar Bandopadhyay, head of the University of Alaska Fairbanks' department of mining and geological engineering, said.

With the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, the North is well-positioned for future development, he said.

Bandopadhyay also said, "The Inuit have a pool of trained mining workers," which will be an advantage in future.

Bandopadhyay is one of several people attending the fifth international Arctic Mining Symposium this week in Yellowknife at the Explorer Hotel.

Delegates at the symposium will examine the North's unique resource challenges, from climate to aboriginal concerns to infrastructure.

Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated first vice-president James Eetoolook, one of the conference's opening speakers Monday, said, when it comes to mining in the new territory "we want it."

"Although we haven't seen any elephants (big mines) lately, we think Nunavut is elephant country."

Eetoolook also said the Inuit ask industry to respect Inuit environment and culture.

Wise use of resources is inherent in the Inuit culture, Bandopadhyay added.

"I'm sure the Inuit will make quality decisions. I'm looking forward to seeing the growth."

This is the first time a Canadian city has hosted the forum, which includes about 30 papers on Arctic mining.

"Our goal is to make a difference," Bandopadhyay, credited with initiating the conference first held in Alaska, said.

The second annual conference was also held in Alaska. Subsequent conferences were held in Russia and Norway. The sixth edition, tentatively scheduled for 2000, will be held in Greenland.

The conference concentrates on the technical side of mining -- problems posed by resource development in frigid Arctic climes.

"This truly is an international forum," he said.

"We are focusing on technical problems. We are a storehouse of information which has been gathered from around the world," he said.

"The Northern environment is so unique. Each symposium looks to bring out problems and then find solutions."

Bandopadhyay, with colleague M. Nelson, are scheduled to start day three's (today) session with a presentation on heat transfer in a shallow placer mine airway in the Arctic.

Other presentations today cover coal mining on Svalbard in Norway, heap leaching mining in the Arctic, underground bulk diamond sampling and the NWT Community Mobilization program.

Svalbard mines commissioner, Johannes Vik, will also discuss coal mining at Svalbard, a group of islands in the Barents Sea near 80 degrees latitude.

"Svalbard has some of the most northern communities in the world," Vik said.

Vik said though the resource is strong, continued coal mining presents challenges on infrastructure and environmental fronts.

The formal side of the conference concludes with the International Arctic Advisory Council's general meeting.

Tomorrow, a tour of BHP Diamonds' Ekati mine is planned.

The symposium is sponsored by the International Arctic Mining Advisory Council and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum.