NUNAVUT - Through exploratory drilling at the Lac Cinquante uranium deposit, Kivalliq Energy Corporation wants to prove the viability of the Angilak project by early next year, the company announced earlier this month.

Paul Waye, senior administrative officer for Rankin Inlet said he is pleased the community is benefiting from mineral development projects. - NNSL file photo

The Vancouver-based uranium exploration and development company's aggressive drilling program this year aims to verify the historical uranium deposit estimates, stated to be as high as 20 million pounds by Aberford Resources in 1982. The Angilak Project is located about 350 kilometres west of Rankin Inlet.

"We are starting with a $2 million single drill rig program in April," Jeff Ward, Kivalliq Energy Corporation's vice-president said by e-mail. "We hope to expand exploration to include a second drill rig, prospecting/mapping crews and baseline studies in the summer months."

Construction of the fully winterized field camp is expected to be completed this April, when the company's six-month drilling program will start.

"A 10-12 person field camp will support the single drill program this winter," said Ward. "We are using local suppliers and air services to build and service this camp. We hope to have several local hires this winter, which could increase as the program expands. "

The amount and grade of uranium the company will be able to establish as NI43-101 compliant will depend on the scope of the exploration and the amount of drilling it can complete this year, said Ward, adding they are "fortunate" to have historical estimates as a starting point. The technical review is the first of three economic assessment reports the company has to do before the project starts.

Most mineral exploration projects go through a series of three economic assessments, each discussing in increasing detail the project's financing, construction and operation: the preliminary assessment (also known as the scoping study), the pre-feasibility study and the bankable feasibility study.

KEC also plans to conduct surface exploration on the rest of the 225,000-acre Angilak property.

Rankin Inlet is generally in favour of mineral development and has always supported any economic drivers in the community, said the hamlet's senior administrative officer Paul Waye.

"I am not going to give a vote of confidence to any project but overall, the hamlet council is happy to see the economy of Rankin Inlet benefit from (this) type of development," he said.

He added to his knowledge, the companies try to use as much local labour as possible.

"We encourage them to use as much local labour and local expertise as is available and they can make avail themselves of," he said.

Kivalliq Energy was specifically formed in 2008, in partnership with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., to explore and develop the Angilak property and the historic Lac Cinquante uranium deposit, the company's main project.