Iglulik (Mar 03/03) - Harry Iyerak's house is full of rocks.

Every time someone in his community, Iglulik, sees one that's interesting they bring it over. Iyerak is a prospector and he's working hard to discover Nunavut's mineral potential.

Harry Iyerak began prospecting more than five years ago in the hope of finding minerals leading to a replacement for the Nanisivik and Polaris mines. - photo courtesy of John MacDonald

Though he won't go into detail, he thinks he has found something companies will be interested in in the near future. He's covered 5,000 acres of land on Baffin Island prospecting and many more just travelling.

News/North: How did you end up in Iglulik?

Harry Iyerak: My father had brothers and sisters in Iglulik. There was no airstrip at the time. We lived in Hall Beach and we drove across the land and ice to Iglulik.

N/N: Have you moved since?

HI: I went to Inuksuk high school in Iqaluit in 1986. I moved to Arctic Bay in Grade 11 -- that's where my first wife lived. I stayed there 14 years. In 1991, I got married. I was 24 years old.

N/N: What did you do with your time in Arctic Bay?

HI: I met up with a music group called the Northwind and I joined them. We changed our name to Tunniit and performed contemporary music. We made an album called Ikajunga. It means help me.

N/N: What were the songs about?

HI: The songs were mostly about the people in the group, their lives and their hardships. We recorded in Westport, Ont. We produced about 2,000 copies of CDs and cassettes. The band travelled to Greenland, Edmonton, Yellowknife, Northern Quebec

and of course Baffin Island. We even made a video from a Coast Guard ship and sent it to the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation.

N/N: What's happening with the band now?

HI: The band doesn't play together any more. We're all in separate locations now so it's pretty hard.

Our last performance was about five or six years ago at the Pang music festival.

N/N: How did you start prospecting?

HI: I worked at Nanisivik Mines. My first job was during the summer of 1982 as a summer student. I was a general labourer. I worked underground as a mining trainee and then as a surveyor trainee.

N/N: What was it like to work in the mine?

HI: It was kind of scary at first, but after a while once you know what you're doing, it's better. It's dirty, slippery and cold. In the winter, it was very very cold. It was also very dark. You always have to carry a light underground.

N/N: What did you think when you heard the mine was closing?

HI: Having the mine open was a benefit for people around the area, especially Arctic Bay and Pond Inlet. There were also a lot of people from Iglulik working there. Once the mine closed down, we had to start looking for other minerals. I've been prospecting for over five years now.

N/N: Did you go to school to learn how to prospect?

HI: I took a prospecting course. It was sponsored by Qikiqtaaluk Corporation. There were a lot of people taking the course in Iglulik. Over 20 people took it, ages varying. I interpreted for the teacher and I learned at the same time. We learned the names of rocks, and what they looked like.

N/N: How do you keep your education up to date?

HI: I've been reading for many years now about minerals and I try to learn as much as possible.

N/N: Have your claims been successful?

HI: Right now I have a number of claims in Nunavut. Last year, I worked for De Beers. We're at the starting stages but we've discovered quite a bit. We've found things that might be of interest to some company in the future.

N/N: Is there a specific season that your team goes out prospecting?

HI: We're prospecting year round and hunting at the same time.

N/N: Do you enjoy your job?

HI: I think you can call it a hobby. I'm not sure what to call it. I try to keep up with research and I try to keep up with mining companies so I know what they are looking for.

N/N: Does Nunavut have a lot of potential in terms of minerals?

HI: I think it's really important that we discover our potential for mining. It's not clear to the mining companies that there is potential in Nunavut so we have to work harder to make it clear.

N/N: How are you making companies aware of Nunavut's potentials?

HI: We're organizing a prospectors association. We've already been incorporated but we are looking for money.

We have people from across Nunavut on board. Once we get money for start up operations, we will have an office in Rankin Inlet. I was nominated as president of the association. We're going to call it Qiniq Association.

It will represent all Nunavummiut searching the land for minerals.

N/N: What kinds of things will the Qiniq Association do?

HI: We're organizing training for prospectors. We want Inuit prospectors to be heard inside and outside of Nunavut to promote the territory's mineral potential. We also want to teach Inuit youth about the career possibilities associated with prospecting and incorporate traditional knowledge into our practice.

N/N: Do you bring your work home with you?

HI: I have lots of rocks in my house all over the place. It's a collection. In the summer, my boys go out and bring back rocks. I think they're getting interested too. My oldest son, Nicolas, just turned 11. Andrew just turned six and Alain is turning four this summer. My youngest child will turn one in July.

N/N: How do you and your spouse keep up with all the kids?

HI: Right now, it's lots of work. They always keep us busy. Two of the kids are in school and two of them aren't.

N/N: Do you try to incorporate traditional knowledge into your daily activities?

HI: I like hearing stories from elders about things they've seen. Actually looking for these things (rocks), and finding them is amazing. Knowledge from elders and research makes it easier to target good prospecting areas.

N/N: How much area have you covered?

HI: This spring, I will have covered over 5,000 acres on Baffin Island. The samples are very pretty, especially zinc.