INUVIK - Students from across the Beaufort Delta compared mining to layer cake as part of a hands-on Introduction to Mining course this month.

Carl Kuptana from Tuktoyaktuk performs a nail test to see if his mineral sample is harder than nails. - Katie May/NNSL photo

Eighteen students from Aklavik, Fort McPherson, Paulatuk and Tuktoyaktuk travelled to Inuvik's Samuel Hearne Secondary School for three weeks in November to attend the course. Austin Abbott offered instruction through the Youth Entry-Level Skills program, allowing students to earn career studies credits.

Panning for gold was a favourite among the Grade 10-12 students, including Curtis Illasiak of Aklavik, who said he signed up for the course because he's considering mining as a career.

"It will come in handy for when I need to do this for a job," he said.

Paulatuk resident Dustin Gordon-Ruben said he liked learning about reclamation and might like to work on post-drilling land preservation someday.

"I'm keeping my mind open," he said.