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BEAUFORT DELTA
At the end of this week 10 Beaufort Delta students will return home from Inuvik with at least one thing they didn't arrive with: in-depth knowledge of the NWT's mining industry.

Sam Gruben, left, Colten Gruben, Patrick Illasiak, Cheeta Gruben, Hayden Stuart, Lori Felix, Cherise Felix, Tiffany Wolki, Logan Ruben and Amber Ruben will finish a three-week introduction to mining course at Samuel Hearne Secondary School in Inuvik this week. All 10 students travelled from their hometowns of Tuktoyaktuk and Paulatuk to take part. - Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison/NNSL photo

The students – four from Paulatuk and six from Tuktoyaktuk – are all taking part in a three-week introduction to mining course offered by the Beaufort Delta Education Council.

The goal, according to program co-ordinator Austin Abbott, is to give them skills that could jumpstart a career in mining.

"I'll tell you right now, they work hard. When the course is done they'll have a pretty good idea of what the mining industry is about," he said.

The course, which began on Oct. 24 at Samuel Hearne Secondary School in Inuvik, covers everything from how to pan for gold to how to refine diamonds.

In addition, students learned how deposits are formed, how to extract and process minerals, how company's transport and market their goods, as well as different exploration techniques used, the various occupations in the industry and the basics of chemistry.

Abbott said that by the time they return home, students will have a better understanding of mining than "99 per cent of people in the North."

The class runs from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., and was open to all Grade 10, 11 and 12 students in the Beaufort Delta.

Transportation and course costs are covered, Abbott said, and students board with family and friends.

There are tests each week, as well as a final research project on a non-renewable resource and a lab exam where students have to identify different types of minerals.

In return, students receive four credits toward their high school diploma.

The course is part of the education council's Youth Entry Level Skills Program, which was created in 2001 to give students the opportunity to learn career-oriented skills.

In addition to the mining course, Abbott teaches a class on oil and gas awareness and runs the Tools for Schools and Mobile Introduction to Trades Training programs.

Most students who attended the introduction to mining course expressed an interest in working in the industry after graduation

Logan Ruben of Paulatuk said he would like to work in an assay lab -- where minerals are analyzed -- while Tiffany Wolki, also of Paulatuk, said she's more interested in prospecting.

Wolki, who also took the oil and gas awareness class, said she decided to take the mining course because it sounded interesting.

"The minerals are so pretty. I can't resist," she added.

Although Abbott doesn't know how many of his past students have continued on with a career in mining, he said he often directs those interested to the Mine Training Society in Yellowknife.

The introduction to mining course was funded by the Beaufort Delta Education Council.

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