The Nunavut Mining Symposium is celebrating a quarter-century of recognizing the territory’s most influential people and organizations involved with natural resources.
This year’s event in Iqualit started on Monday and will conclude on Apr. 25. The organizers say it was created to promote responsible development of mineral, oil and gas sectors of the territory’s economy while prioritizing the well-being of residents and the environment.
It includes the Nunavut Mining Awards: a trio of prizes given to an individual, company and government branch or organization.
This year’s symposium features a presentation on Nunavut’s economic outlook from the territorial government’s senior economist Francois Picotte and a talk by an RCMP sergeant titled “Mining’s Role in Sovereignty & Security in the Arctic.” It will also include updates on exploratory and major mining operations in between other talks on pertinent topics in Nunavut.
The territorial government and Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency are responsible for funding the conference.
The Inuit principle of Namminiqsurniq — being people-centred — is a topic that will be a focal point of this year’s Nunavut Mining Symposium, now in its 25th year in Iqaluit. #Nunavut #Mining https://t.co/rNZM6352tW
— NNSL Online (@NNSLonline) April 22, 2024
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Chair of symposium’s governing body gives local media the rundown
The Chair of the Nunavut Mining Symposium Society, Matthew Clark, claims that this year’s event is expected to have an economic impact on Iqualit valued at around C$700,000.
“At the end of the day, our focus is to create connections and common ground with a vision to create the highest quality of life for Nunavummiut [residents] and the resource sector,” Clark said in an interview with Northern News Services Limited (NNSL) Media.
He thinks mining will be increasingly beneficial for the territory for many years to come.
“New projects, such as uranium mining, will be highlighted,” Clark added.
Companies actively involved with uranium mining in Nunavut include Forum Energy Metals Corp. (TSX-V: FMC), which just mobilized personnel and equipment for a new drill program in the Thelon Basin; and ATHA Energy Corp. (TSX-V: SASK) (OTCQB: SASKF) (FRA: X5U), a company currently developing its Angilak project’s rich Lac 50 deposit.
Last year’s symposium presentations included an update on the Back River gold district from B2Gold Corp. (TSX: BTO), a talk by Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (TSX: AEM) titled “Nunavut exploration: creating value through the drill bit!” and a discussion by American West Metals Ltd (ASX: AW1) on the territory’s Storm copper deposit.
In addition to uranium, gold and copper, Nunavut is known for producing diamonds, antimony, bismuth, battery metals like cobalt and lithium as well as various rare earths.
The territory is also estimated to hold more than 25 per cent of Canada’s petroleum resources.
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