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BATHURST INLET - The company behind the Bathurst Inlet Port and Road Project (BIPAR) has put the much-delayed project on hold.

Nuna Logistics announced last week it has asked the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB) to delay its technical review of the project's environmental impact assessment, which was due to unroll this January.

It isn't clear when in 2009 the review is set to begin, nor whether this latest delay will offset the timeline for the port and road, set to begin operations in 2012, according to a previous estimate by Nuna Logistics.

Executives from Nuna Logistics said they were unavailable for comment.

The delay comes one month after the largest potential financial backer of the port and all-weather road, Australia-based Zinifex Canada, said it is pulling out and building its own road west of Bathurst Inlet.

Zinifex, which hopes to have its Izok Lake zinc and copper mine ready for operation by 2014, will construct a road that will go through all its eastern Kitikmeot development projects including the Lupin, Ulu, High Lake and Izok mines.

The road will end at Gray's Bay.

Three weeks ago, Nuna Logistics's project manager for BIPAR, Bob Gilroy, retired from Nuna, according to Jamie A. MacMillan, executive assistant to Nuna president Mervyn Hempenstall.

Nuna wants to build a port at Bathurst Inlet capable of housing and shipping crucial mining supplies like fuel, as well as an accompanying all-weather road going all the way south to Contwoyto Lake.

In the wake of Zinifex's leaving, Nuna began talks with other mining companies including London, Ont.-based Sabina Silver Corporation, to shore up their interest in using the port and road.

Sabina is halfway finished the pre-feasibility study for its zinc-copper-lead Hackett River mine.

The mine is located east of Tahera Diamond Corporation's Jericho diamond mine, has an expected mine life of 14 years and will also require an all-season road supply system.

"The pre-feasibility study will look at ways to move concentrate to market," said Harvey Klatt, vice president of exploration for Sabina.

"One of those alternatives - and really it's the only feasible alternative, as I can see it - is to move the concentrate out by a road out to the coast, and ship it out from there."

BIPAR is the best option for Hackett River and Sabina is committed to using the first 100 km or so of the 211-km-road, said Klatt.

He added "They've got other people to (seek out) for the rest of that road."