Jennifer Obleman
Northern News Services
Published Monday, September 24, 2007

ARVIAT - If done in a socially and environmentally responsible way, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI), will support uranium mining - and in turn, uranium mining could support Nunavut's Inuit.

Rob Carpenter measures radioactivity at a mineralized zone at Kaminak's Baker Lake Uranium project. A new uranium policy approved last week by Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., will make it possible for companies to develop uranium resources in Nunavut. - photo courtesy of George Norman

The economic benefits uranium mining will bring could help a rapidly growing Inuit population deal with pressing social issues like housing and education, said NTI vice-president James Eetoolook.

"We need revenue to address social issues. Inuit need jobs, just like anywhere else in Canada, and I don't think we'll be coming up with another industry like a lumberyard or a car factory. I don't see those in the near future in the North," said Eetoolook.

"I'm pretty sure there will be eventually a mine opening up in Nunavut, and I think we have to be prepared for that. We are the biggest stakeholders ... we have to have a policy."

NTI unanimously approved its new uranium policy last week following meetings in Arviat. The policy stresses the protection of human health, limiting impacts to the land and wildlife, as well as using uranium only for peaceful purposes.

There must also be significant economic benefits for Inuit and opportunities for Inuit-owned firms to participate in the exploration, development and operation of uranium mining projects.

It took about four years of deliberation and consultation to complete the policy.

"This is one of the hardest policies that we ever came up with," said Eetoolook.

"Uranium has been around for years and years. It can cause sickness and damage the environment. All of us have concerns about it. We tried to address those concerns as much as we could."

Arviat Mayor Johnny Mamgark was pleased to hear a uranium plan had been approved. "I'm really happy. Let's go mining," he said.

"I think it's good for everyone in Nunavut. It's good for businesses, it's good for individuals, it's good for everybody."

Mamgark pointed to Northern Saskatchewan, where uranium is safely mined, and said the Inuk word for uranium should be changed to reflect that.

"The Inuk word means something dangerous that doesn't go away ... it's like cancer," he said.

"There should be a new name for it because elders can get the wrong idea with that word when it's not really that bad."

The uranium policy outlined by Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. is good news for explorers with exploration licences in Nunavut, such as Areva Resources.

"The deposit we have is partially on Inuit-owned land, so a policy like this was required before a mine could be developed on the property we hold. So we see it as very positive news," said Barry McCallum, Areva's manager of Nunavut affairs.

"There's nothing surprising or unreasonable about any of those conditions. It's the way modern mining is taking place in this country."

Areva acquired the Sissons deposit on the Kiggavik-Sissons project west of Baker Lake in 1993; a decision is expected in the next few months on whether it is economically viable to develop. If the decision is positive, the environmental assessment process will be the next step.

Construction of a new mine could start as early as 2012, with the mine operational by 2015. A 20-year mine life is anticipated, with about 500 jobs required during the operations phase, according to Areva.