Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Nov 08/99) - With renewed focus on natural gas, gold price recovery and Environment Ministry approval of Diavik, delegates attending the 1999 Geoscience Forum have a lot to be optimistic about.

This year's edition of the territories largest conference includes an expanded section on oil and gas, said Mike Vaydik, general manager of the NWT Chamber of Mines. Expanding this part of the three-day conference is a reflection of the renewed interest in oil, and especially natural gas, in the NWT.

Last year was the first time organizers included an oil and gas session.

Significant discoveries have been announced in the NWT and several companies are proposing pipelines to get the product south.

There will, of course, be a diamond session, and as for gold, "We've had people call up and say with gold at around $300 US, we better be there," Vaydik said.

Forum-goers this time around will be able to learn more about several projects considered to be in advanced stages of exploration, Vaydik adds.

Regulatory and environmental rooms as well as a trade show are also part of the event, scheduled Nov. 24-26 in Yellowknife.

Organizers are expecting around 450 delegates, down from last year's record 525. That's a reflection of the state of exploration.

When companies aim fewer dollars at exploration, the Geoscience forum sees a decline in attendance, Vaydik said.

As for this being the first forum post-division, Vaydik said there is just as much interest from Nunavut as ever.

Nunavut currently has two operating mines, Polaris and Nanisivik. But that will change next year when Echo Bay restarts its Lupin gold mine.

Echo Bay announced last week that Lupin will be back producing in April.

The company will hire about 290 people (about 35 are currently keeping the mine on care and maintenance) over the coming months.

On the state of the NWT-Nunavut mining, Vaydik said the bottom line is that reserves are not being replaced.

"That's a concern."

Ten years from now, Ekati mine, and if all goes well, Diavik, could be the only operating mines in NWT-Nunavut.

As in past years, organizers have scheduled an evening talk that is open to the public. This year, dinosaur expert Philip Currie will deliver the Charles Camsell Talk on Wednesday, Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Explorer Hotel. Currie is the curator of dinosaurs at the Royal Tyrell Museum of Paleontology in Drumheller, Alta.