"The company obviously believes this is a very, very good prospect and we believe there is an economic return to be made here," said project manager Phil Chidgzey on Saturday after returning from a week in the community.

"But we're not going to go out there this spring and start mining."

The Toronto-based company is now trying to drum up the $2.2-million it needs for the summer exploration program which will employ as many as 30 people, half locals.

The company is looking foremost for metals such as platinum and copper because it could not make money at present mining something like nickel so far north. The company will not be pursuing indications of kimberlite pipes in the area this year, he said.

Chidgzey also played down the ongoing controversy about whether the boundaries of the proposed Tuktut Nogiat National Park should be redrawn to allow the company access to one of the anomalies which lies partly within the boundary of the park, a move being fiercely opposed by environmentalists and park officials.

"We presented our case to the community as to what we want the boundary change," Chidgzey said, but added that the decision to push for a change rested with Inuvialuit officials.

"It's our responsibility to let them know what we've found and what could be there and let them make the final decision."

Although the anomaly within the park is far from the Paulatuk harbor where any mined ore would be shipped and presumably a lesser candidate for development than the others which are closer to the ocean, Chidgzey said the company was not yet sure where metals may lie and where they could be most efficiently mined and want the option of mining any of the anomalies if the project proceeds that far.

"All the anomalies are important to us," he said, saying that the one inside the proposed park shows fault zones and dyke systems which often contain minerals.

"We're currently in an exploration program. We don't know what's there and that's the problem -- it's a search for knowledge."

Some in the area have also expressed concern that the company is employing people such as Hunters and Trappers officials as environmental monitors and those people could not work independently on the company payroll. Jessie Sloan, a consultant on the project, defended the practice.

"These are very conscientious people whose first responsibility is to the wildlife and the game in the area," she said.

"It might look like they may be caught, but that hasn't been the case."