Yellowknife (Mar 22/04) - Diavik is looking at fencing off some areas, and it wants to use traditional knowledge to do so.

That's why last week, the Environmental Monitoring Advisory Board (EMAB) toured the Diavik and Colomac mine sites. The board is a traditional knowledge panel formed of representatives from Northern aboriginal groups.

The board is helping determine where fencing should be.

The fence around the tailings pond at Colomac was inspected as an example of an animal-friendly fence.

"Caribou is the most powerful thing right now," said Harry Simpson, representative of the Dogrib Treaty 11 council. The Diavik mine is located on a caribou migration route.

Currently, the only fencing at Diavik is around the waste management site, an attractive area for bears and other scavengers. The traditional knowledge panel thinks there are other areas of the mine that should be fenced off.

The open pit is on top of the list. There is concern that caribou may fall into the pit and injure themselves. The panel also wants to see the fuel containment area, explosives storage area and the processed kimberlite pond fenced off.

"Caribou have been stuck in the processed kimberlite in the BHP area," said Bob Turner, chairperson for EMAB and representative of the North Slave Metis Alliance. Although the by-product is not toxic, it is similar to quicksand and caribou can become trapped, he said.

The type of fencing to use at Diavik is also an issue.

"We all agree that barbed wire should not be used at any point," said George Mandeville, representative of the North Slave Metis Alliance.

A regular frost fence was used at Colomac.

"This looks like garbage dump fencing," said Pete Enzoe of the Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation.

The fence is working for Colomac, but Aimee Ahegona of the Kitikmeot Inuit Association points out that there are trees around the Colomac site. There are no trees at Diavik. With no trees to subdue the wind, the concern is that snow drifts may build up beside the fence and animals could just climb over.

Ahegona says caribou that have been near tailings ponds have poor meat that seems damaged.

"It's not a clean place any more," Ahegona said. "Sometimes we find a lot of bruised animals."

"A lot of the aboriginal people have concerns about the abandoned mines in the NWT," said Turner.

James Dircks, a supervisor at Colomac, says caribou are attracted to tailings because of the salt content, and they will eat it.

The fence is monitored regularly by air and ground. Dircks says that so far no large animals have found their way inside.

"For thousands of years our ancestors used to talk about how important caribou are. Now other cultures and nations are realizing how important they are," said Simpson.

"Mining is a reality," Mandeville said. He and the others know mines are important for the economy, but they do not want to lose their traditional values and culture.

"The water should be worth more than gold," said Mandeville.