Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 08/98) - Bulk sampling at Thor Lake beryllium could do irreparable damage to Blachford Lake Lodge's business, the owner said Thursday.

Beyond health concerns, Mike Freeland said customers seeking a quiet, pristine, wilderness adventure, would be exposed to dust, blasting and equipment noise and lights.

Back when the Thor Lake site was first developed, "we had some unhappy customers," he said Thursday.

The site, first sampled in 1985, has remained virtually untouched since then. Freeland said any development is unacceptable and he wants the existing site cleaned up. Piles of rock and buildings there are much the same as when the operation was abandoned in 1986.

Freeland is currently investing thousands of dollars in a new all-season 380 square-metre lodge.

Bulk sampling, let alone a full-fledged mine, puts that investment in jeopardy, he said.

Highwood, part-owned by Royal Oak Mines, wants to open pit mine 100,000 tonnes of ore from Thor, barge in to Hay River for initial processing, then ship it south for further processing and eventual sale. Beryllium copper alloys are used in products like computers and sporting goods.

Freeland is among many who have publicly voiced their opposition to Highwood Resources plan to extract a sample at Thor.

Last week, as part of the environmental assessment process, Highwood held public meetings in Dettah, Ndilo and Lutselk'e to outline their proposed bulk sampling.

Several individuals voiced strong opposition to the plan. The presentations, which covered several hours, were emotional.

In Ndilo Wednesday, Ndilo Chief Fred Sangris said he joins Yellowknives Dene First Nations chief Jonas Sangris as well as Dettah and Ndilo elders in their opposition to the project.

Sangris also levelled criticism at the federal government because in this matter it had failed to protect aboriginal interests.

"The land claim is the number one priority."

Sangris said area aboriginal people have been forced to move eastward if they wish to practice traditional activities and the Thor Lake is in that path. The site also has a spiritual significance, he said.

Yellowknives Dene First Nations land councillor Richard Edjericon and Ndilo Treaty 8 president Diane Betsina, NWT medical association member Dr. Sylvain Chouinard and Dettah resident Ted Tsetta also spoke against the project.

"I've seen this process before (and) it looks like everything is ready to go. I'm wondering if Highwood has an IBA (impact and benefits agreement) for us. It sure looks like it. I see Hay River will benefit," Edjericon said.

"I'm shocked. My God, where is the justice? We support our chief and band council. We don't want you. Look at that camp. That was my uncles trapline," Betsina said.

"I'm shocked at the Crown. We've been fighting for treaty rights. You're killing us."

Dr. Chouinard said there continues to be unknowns in the beryllium story.

Issues about cancer are still unknown and data from the 1960s and '70s "is considered poor and inadequate. We have introduced thousands of substances and we are only beginning to understand the magnitude of what we've done."

Tsetta, who has 17 years of mining experience, asked if there have been any deaths linked to beryllium mining.

"Yes," said Highwood Resources vice-president of operations. But when beryllium mining started in the 1930s and '40s, the hazards were not known and people were exposed to levels thousands of times higher than would be the case at Thor or at the proposed mill in Hay River.

There has not been a case of acute beryllium disease since 1968, Pepper said.

Without a bulk sample at the Thor Lake beryllium site, there is no way to tell if a full-blown mine is economical, Highwood president John Smrke said at the Ndilo meeting.

"Right now, (we have) no idea if Thor will be viable. The beryllium questions are tied to marketing," he said.

"All previous work done (at the site) was inconclusive."

If the project is not a money-maker, it will be stopped and the site will be cleaned up. In 1996, Highwood acquired Thor when it merged with Mountain Minerals.