Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Inuvik (May 31/02) - Crushed rock has become the source of a new and valuable commodity for Delta residents.

While the price has always been fairly high, pipeline construction could make crushed rock a very valuable commodity here.

President and CEO of the Gwich'in Development Corporation, Tom Connors, said the Gwich'in are currently identifying new sources to quarry on their settlement lands.

"Gravel up here is as good as gold," Connors said. "As the pipeline gets closer, we are trying to identify all the gravel sources."

"We'd like to be in a position where we are a major suppliers," he said.

With no expertise in engineering or pipeline construction, the Gwich'in are seeking other ways to profit from the pipe.

"If a pipeline does occur, there are not that many things that we have the capacity to take advantage of," Connors said. "We're not a pipeline construction company, so there's no point in investing in that."

"Gravel is something within our reach."

Vice President of Business Development for the Inuvialuit Development Corporation, Patrick Schmidt, says while gravel is an opportunity the Inuvialuit are very aware of, it's not a priority to the Inuvialuit right now.

"With the right opportunity we would look at it, but the Inuvialuit land claim, there's a restriction to what we can earn from Inuvialuit gravel," Schmidt said. "While it's an opportunity, it's not one we're currently looking at."

Dennis Althouse, Director of Public Services for the Town of Inuvik said the town gets their gravel through a contract with Bob's Welding, who run a quarry out on the Dempster Highway.

"On larger amounts we pay $35 per cubic metre, but for smaller jobs we pay about $44 per cubic metre because of economies of scale," Althouse said. Regional Superintendent for the Department of Transportation, Gurdev Jagpal said they use about 20,000 to 25,000 cubic metres of gravel each year and they have a number of sites they draw from.

"We have gravel on Gwich'in land, but other than that we have drill and blast quarries," Jagpal said.

Transportation pays about $20 to $30 per cubic metre for gravel, depending on quantity ordered and how far it needs to be hauled.

"Obviously there is not enough gravel, because people are out exploring for it now," he said.