Brent Reaney
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (June 10/05) - After five days of Mining Week activities, organizers are expecting the festivities to peak at Saturday's Miner's Picnic.

"It was our biggest crowd ever," said co-ordinator Cheryl Wourms of last year's estimated attendance of 1,500 people. "It just keeps growing."

Diavik Mine rescue team captain Nathan Pitre holds Kate Bruce's head while Michael Nitsiza applies a neck brace during a rescue simulation.

Held outside City Hall between noon and 3 p.m. tomorrow, the picnic will feature the usual barbecue, loads to do and the 39th annual Mine Rescue Competition.

Teams from the Ekati and Diavik diamond mines will face-off in seven events ranging from first aid to firefighting.

The competition will go from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at both City Hall and the old Gerry Murphy arena site.

"We try to make it as realistic as we can," said Dave Arthur, organizer of the NWT and Nunavut competition. "We treat them pretty seriously."

The winning squad goes to September's western regional competition in Fernie B.C. BHP Billiton's Ekati team won last year's Yellowknife event.

With the closing of the Lupin gold mine, and Nunavut's Jericho diamond project still under construction, there are no Nunavut teams this year.

Celebration for all

This year's unofficial theme of NWT Mining Week - Mining: it's everybody's business - promotes the fact the mining industry involves far more than just mining and exploration companies.

In some communities, people are hired to help with exploration work, while other Northern businesses provide food and supplies to companies out looking for the next big mineral find.

Along with children's activities, such as panning for gold, people can take a shot at winning a GPS unit during the prospector's challenge.