North of 60 2022

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60

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Review 2022

ATAC Resources Ltd., finding a new copper porphyry in Western Yukon Infrastructure investments critical to mining industry success in Canada's North

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mining sector resident support and range investment of early Low-risk • Strong and advanced stage • New transportation NWTGEOSCIENCE.CA: jurisdiction* engagement in • Low-risk investment • Strongindigenous resident support and E-mail: ntgs@gov.nt.ca projects seeking investment infrastructure tosector improvein indigenous engagement mining • jurisdiction* Wide range of early T: 867-767-9211 Ext. 63469 access tosector mineral resources • Modernized mining mining • Wide range of early and advanced stage • New transportation NWTGEOSC legislation in progress NWTMINING.COM: and advanced stage • New transportation NWTGEOSCIENCE.CA: E-mail: ntgs projects seeking investment infrastructure to improve to improve processes, E-mail: mining@gov.nt.ca E-mail: ntgs@gov.nt.ca of 85 jurisdictions - Mining Journal projects seeking investment *4 infrastructure to improve T: 867-767-9211 to resources mineral resources T:T:867-767-9209 2018 World Risk • increase Modernized mining certainty 867-767-9211Ext. Ext.63160 63469 access access toReport mineral • Modernized mining legislation in progress NWTMIN legislation in progress NWTMINING.COM: toimprove improve processes, E-mail: mining to processes, th E-mail: mining@gov.nt.ca *4 of 85*4 jurisdictions - Mining Journal of 85 jurisdictions - Mining Journal T: 867-767-9209T:Ext. 63160 2018 World RiskWorld ReportRisk Report increase certainty 867-767-9209 2018 increase certainty • • Wide

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IN THIS ISSUE 8 Message from the editor, Shayna Wiwierski 10 NWT diamonds bouncing back, new mine projects advancing, exploration returning

13 OCTANT Aviation – Your Canadian aviation expert 14 Yukon mining and exploration update, December 2021 18 Community engagement plays a vital role in successful projects

22 Nighthawk set to soar after completing year one of its ambitious two-year exploration plan

26 Coming home: A challenge and an opportunity at Keno Hill 28 Finding a new copper porphyry in Western Yukon 30 High-grade Yukon silver – Alianza looks to a busy 2022 34 Sixty North, developing towards gold production 36 Infrastructure investments critical to mining industry success in Canada’s North

38 We need mining. Mining needs you.

40 Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce fosters the building of meaningful relationships

42 CMC Metals Ltd.: Exploring the world’s next silver district 46 Explorers soar with Avier Group 50 Mining an untapped resource: Women in non-traditional occupations

52 Tundra Mine remediation project 54 Discover the services of Géosig 56 Nuna Group of Companies: Meeting the challenge since 1993 58 Bringing Arctic mine remediation to the community classroom

North

60

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is published by DEL Communications Inc. www.delcommunications.com President & CEO DAVID LANGSTAFF

Managing Editor SHAYNA WIWIERSKI shayna@delcommunications.com Advertising Manager DAYNA OULION dayna@delcommunications.com Advertising Account Executives BRENT ASTROPE BRIAN GEROW ROSS JAMES Production services provided by: S.G. Bennett Marketing Services Creative Director / Layout & Design KATHLEEN CABLE Contributing Writers JOHN CURRAN | ALBERT DRAPEAU TOM HOEFER | BRENDAN MARSHALL JOHN MACKENZIE | GUILLAUME NIELSEN ALEX PARSONS | IAN WILSON Cover Photo Courtesy of ATAC RESOURCES LTD. © Copyright 2022, DEL Communications Inc. All rights reserved.The contents of this pub­lica­tion may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of the publisher.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in and the reliability of the source, the publisher­in no way guarantees nor warrants the information and is not responsible for errors, omissions or statements made by advertisers. Opinions and recommendations made by contributors or advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher, its directors, officers or employees.

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62 Index to advertisers PRINTED IN CANADA | 01/2022

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MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR Mining plays a huge part in Canada’s North.

The mining industry in the three northern territories accounts for almost $3 billion in mining industry contributions for 2021, according to the Conference Board of Canada.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a hit on the industry, but overall, the season did stay relatively normal thanks to measures put in place by mining and exploration companies. In this issue of North of 60 magazine, we take a look at some of the major players up north, such as Nighthawk Gold Corp., who recently entered into an option agreement to acquire the Kim & Cass property in the Northwest Territories.

On page 30, Alianza Minerals Ltd. shares their two silver projects in the Yukon, and on page 28, ATAC Resources Ltd. talks about their new copper porphyry in Western Yukon.

Of course, there’s lots more to share in this issue of North of 60 magazine and we hope you enjoy the content we have between the pages of this edition. We are also proud to share that 2021 saw the launch of our new e-newsletter, Mining Your Business, which comes out twice a year and shares more northern Canada mining news with our online audience. We invite you to sign up for the newsletter online via our official site, miningnorthof60.com/mining-your-business/. North of 60 online is also home to weekly mining news as well if you want to keep up to date throughout the year.

Enjoy, and as always, strike gold!

Shayna Wiwierski shayna@delcommunications.com

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Mining North of 60 | 2022

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NWT diamonds bouncing back, new mine projects advancing, exploration returning

By Tom Hoefer, Executive Director of the NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines

T

his past year, COVID dealt a significant blow to the Northwest Territories (NWT), which is Canada’s main diamond-producing region.

With all three of our mines producing diamonds, when the pandemic dealt significant effects on the diamond pipeline, we suffered with all of our “eggs in one basket”.

While our mines quickly proved they were able to protect their employees and operations from the pandemic – albeit it at significant cost and efforts – it was the global cutting factories and retail markets that did not fare as well. Pandemic-created closures and travel restrictions resulted in a plugged pipeline, depressing diamond prices significantly as a result. When you’re a mine and your market has been damaged significantly, you’re going to feel it. And feel it we did. All

10 Mining North of 60 | 2022

Cheetah Resources' Nechalacha mine in the Northwest Territories is Canada's first rare earth element mine.

COURTESY OF CHEETAH RESOURCES, BILL PHOTOGRAPHY.

three mines faced new COVID costs in the face of lowered prices; one of our mines, the Ekati mine, was forced to seek bankruptcy protection and halted production for several months. Statistics from Natural Resources Canada show the value of NWT diamond production fell by a whopping $900 million. As a result, global diamond sales tracked by the Kimberley Process showed that the value of Canada’s diamond production fell to fifth place from third globally.

Interestingly, Nunavut, a gold and iron producer, saw an almost mirror image of effects. While they dealt with similar increased COVID costs and challenges, their sales in fact grew under robust gold and iron markets. As a result, mineral production there surpassed $2 billion for the first time in that territory’s history (see chart).

On the exploration side, NRCan

statistics show that all of northern Canada experienced a decline in investment. This was for a number of reasons. First perhaps was the lack of any COVID financial relief provided by government as it excluded publicly traded companies. Second, it took time for mineral tenure relief to be provided (thanks to government, it eventually was); and third it took time to develop COVID protection procedures. With short exploration seasons in the north, the time spent sorting this all out led to several companies deferring their programs.

That all said, what a difference a year can make!

Diamond markets have now returned to pre-pandemic levels, if not the strongest in 10 years, according to independent diamond analyst Paul Zimnisky.

and are therefore critical to their countries’ economic and national security and work to combat climate change. Canada’s list contains 31 critical minerals; the U.S. has 50 with work to consider more.

We currently have four mining projects advancing in the NWT and all of them also happen to host critical minerals.

COVID dealt a blow to diamond production in the NWT. Interestingly, Nunavut was almost a mirror image of growth due to the mining of iron and gold in strong markets.

The Ekati mine is operating again at a steady state under new ownership, Arctic Canadian Diamond Company. A recent presentation by their president and CEO, Rory Moore, unveiled the company has a current life of mine plan to reach 2029. However, they revealed a new and exciting plan to develop new underwater crawler miner technology that could see them mining for decades to come.

Rio Tinto’s Diavik diamond mine has now purchased the 40 per cent interest previously held by Dominion Diamonds, and now owns 100 per cent of the mine and its sales – and reclamation responsibilities – and they are continuing on their planned path to closure in 2025. However, they are still exploring, so fingers crossed.

The De Beers – Mountain Province (51 to 49 per cent) owned Gahcho Kué diamond mine continues its open pit mining, with plans to mine their multiple pipes until 2030. There may be opportunities to supplement that production from the nearby Kennady North Project by injecting the Kelvin and Faraday kimberlites owned by Mountain Province, however there are no plans in place at this time. MPV will initiate much larger exploration plans in 2022.

Resources Canada is projecting a turnaround across the country, as well as in three territories in 2021 (see chart). Much of this is due to experience gained with COVID, and fuelled by strong markets, including gold, diamonds, and a host of “critical minerals”.

The concept and definition of “critical minerals” is gelling as the U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada, and others are developing lists of mineral commodities that have important uses but no viable substitutes, yet FWS_Northof60_4.625x3.375_2021.pdf 1 7/29/2021 face potential disruption in supply,

Cheetah Resources has begun mining at their Nechalacho rare earth element project, making it the first REE mine in Canada. Using sorting technology, they mined a significant tonnage without using water, and without creating traditional tailings, using innovative X-ray sorting technology. They also used a First Nation mining company for the first time in the NWT’s history. Their ore is being processed in Saskatoon, where they are also constructing their own processing facility. Sales to a Norwegian firm have shown the product meets customer specifications.

NorZinc continues to advance development of the Prairie Creek zinc-silver-lead mine in the mountains 11:04:59 AM of the western NWT. The site already

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11

Arctic Canadian Diamond Company is planning innovative underwater crawler-miner technology to extend the Ekati diamond mine life.

NorZinc is advanced the Prairie Creek zinc-silver-lead mine in the western Northwest Territories.

The site already benefits from significant previous investment in mine infrastructure.

COURTESY ARCTIC CANADIAN DIAMOND COMPANY.

benefits from significant previous investment in mine infrastructure, but will require construction of a 170-kilometre all-season road. Initial work is planned for this winter. Allweather road access would also allow use of LNG for power in this remote region.

Osisko Metals has been drilling and evaluating their Pine Point zinc-lead property, former site of a 25-year producer which closed in 1988. The site is serviced by perhaps the best infrastructure in the NWT, with hydropower, roads, and rail that was developed for the original mine.

With the addition of in-pit sorting, and better markets today, Osisko believes the mine has potential be a top 10 global producer. The project

COURTESY NORZINC.

has now triggered and entered the environmental review process.

Fortune Minerals NICO project is a vertically integrated cobalt-goldbismuth-copper project, comprising of a mine and mill in the NWT that would produce and ship a bulk concentrate to a refinery that Fortune plans to construct in southern Canada. The project is looking even better now with the very recent opening of the Tlicho Highway, an allweather link to southern Canada that will allow Fortune to construct their own 50-kilometre link to their mine site for shipping product year-round.

The deposit hosts more than 10 per cent of global bismuth reserves.

60 North Gold has equipment in

place now to resume gold production from their small MON mine, in the Yellowknife greenstone belt near the previous producing high-grade Discovery gold mine.

In the wings, exploration is robust in the Indin Lake greenstone belt where Nighthawk Resources is planning a significant 100,000-metre drill program on their large gold property, which also hosts the former Colomac gold mine. In the Yellowknife greenstone belt, Gold Terra Resources continues an aggressive drill program, and recently announced a deal to purchase 100 per cent of the assets and tenure comprising the pastproducing high-grade Con gold mine.

A number of other juniors, including Rover Metals, Arctic Star, GGL Resources, Golden Planet, Silver Range Resources, North Arrow Minerals, Slave Lake Zinc, Olivut Resources, Seabridge, and StrategX are exploring for critical metals, diamonds, and gold.

We aren’t taking all of this increased investment for granted though, and our Chamber of Mines continues to identify actions that all levels of governments can take to help support and to strengthen the north’s numberone industry, and to the benefit of northerners. 8

12 Mining North of 60 | 2022

OCTANT Aviation — Your Canadian aviation expert

F

or mining companies operating in Canada’s north, air transport is essential for flying workers in and out, delivering cargo, and providing medevac flights. Reliable air carrier and airport service, and the safety of those services are all vital to mining companies’ operations.

OCTANT Aviation is a consulting firm specializing in air transport. Our team of over 30 highly skilled professionals is the only one in Canada to offer a full spectrum of air transport expertise to help ensure the success of your mining projects.

Our experience with complex environments and onthe-ground realities allows us to cater to your specific needs and offer you the most cost-effective solutions in remote air transport operations.

Our experts are here to support the mining industry with its air transport operations.

PRE-PROJECT:

• Advise on airfield design and construction costs; • Identify the most suitable site; • Analyze aviation needs and select aircraft accordingly; • Compare ownership and charter scenarios; • Conduct business-case & return-on-investment study.

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• Carry out pre-feasibility assessment; • Prepare plans and specifications for construction and issue call for tenders; • Oversee regulatory compliance of the new infrastructure; • Purchase airport equipment; • Set up the airport’s operational logistics; • Develop instrument approach procedures.

AIR TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT AND SERVICES:

• Evaluate prospective carriers; • Draft bid specifications; • Negotiate air transport contracts; • Audit carrier performance and safety; • Manage and optimize air transport contracts; • Provide 24/7 reservations, dispatch, and flight monitoring services.

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• Prepare mandatory documents: operations manual and emergency response plan; • Provide air traffic controller and airport personnel; • Train ground services team (refuelling, de-icing, GPU, etc.); • Provide restricted radio operator certified training; • Implement airport management software; • Conduct emergency exercises; • Oversee infrastructure management. 8

Yukon mining and exploration update, December 2021 This article was written by the Yukon Geological Survey, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, Government of Yukon. *Note all dollar amounts are in Canadian dollars.

Y

ukon mineral exploration activity in 2021 continued to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, due to measures put in place by mining and exploration companies, contractors and suppliers, and supported by the Yukon Government, the 2021 season approached “normal”.

These measures also allowed the operating mines to continue to rampup production.

Precious and base metal prices fluctuated throughout the year as pandemic and supply chainrelated issues affected markets, but generally prices have remained elevated. Expectations are that year-end exploration expenditures will be approximately $113 million ($75.8 million in 2020). Development expenditures for the year are expected to be $71.5 million, up from $53.9 million in 2020. Year-end hard rock metal production for 2021 is expected to be approximately $500 million thanks to the continued ramp up of production at the Eagle Gold mine, the re-start of mining at Keno and continued operations at Minto.

The number of active exploration projects dropped slightly from 106 in 2020 to 91 projects in 2021. Twentysix of the 91 projects spent more than $1 million, while 44 projects spent less than $500,000. Gold continues to be the most sought-after commodity, with 59 per cent of the projects targeting the precious metal. The remainder of projects focused on exploring for copper (15 per cent),

14 Mining North of 60 | 2022

lead-zinc (eight per cent), silver (16 per cent), nickel-PGEs (one per cent), and tin and others (one per cent).

The most active region for exploration and mining activity in 2021 was the Mayo-Keno-Clear Creek area.

The area hosted 29 per cent of the active projects and accounted for 65 per cent of the exploration and development spending. The Dawson region saw a drop in exploration expenditures; it hosted 20 per cent of the projects, but only accounted for four per cent of expenditures. The Dawson Range porphyry belt hosted 16 per cent of the projects and 20 per cent of expenditures; the Whitehorse area had 11 per cent of the projects, three per cent of expenditures; the Kluane ultramafic belt had eight per cent of the projects, one per cent of expenditures; and southeastern Yukon had 13 per cent of the projects and six per cent of expenditures.

The Yukon Mineral Exploration Program (YMEP) funding budget for 2021 was $1.58 million. YMEP funds were distributed to 32 hard rock and 20 placer exploration projects.

Claim staking in 2021 increased from 2020, with 3,759 claims staked as of November 10, 2021. The majority of claim staking is focused in the Mayo District, with 69 per cent of the claims staked in that district. There were no claims staked in the Watson Lake District.

Victoria Gold Corp. began commercial production at the Eagle Gold mine on its Dublin Gulch property on July 1, 2020. Since then, the company

has been ramping up production, and for Q1 to Q3 of this year the mine produced 114,726 ounces of gold.

Guidance for the year is that the mine will produce between 180,000 to 200,000 ounces of gold.

In May, Minto Exploration Ltd. released a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for resources beyond the current mine plan at the Minto Mine. The PEA updated the resource at 11 Mt at 1.46 per cent Cu, 0.53 g/t Au and 4.75 g/t Ag (indicated) and 13 Mt at 1.29 per cent Cu, 0.49 g/t Au and 4.55 g/t Ag (inferred).

Total contained copper from open pit and underground sources is 727 million lb. The company is currently mining ore from the underground Copper Keel deposit. In November, Minto Exploration, a private company, executed a reverse take-over and listed the new entity, Minto Metals Corp. on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Mining operations at the historic Keno Hill silver district restarted late in 2020. Alexco Resource Corp. began production at the Bellekeno deposit.

The orebody at Bellekeno was depleted in August, at which time the company shifted to mining from the Bermingham deposit. The company plans to include production from the Flame & Moth deposit by the end of the year.

The environmental screening on mining proposals for the Kudz Ze Kayah VMS project of BMC Minerals Ltd. and the Coffee Project of Newmont Corporation is progressing.

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2022 | Mining North of 60

15

Yukon Environmental and Socioeconomic Assessment Board (YESAB). In both cases, consultation on recommendations by YESAB are underway between the federal and territorial Decision Bodies and the local First Nations. The resource at Kudz Ze Kayah in the Measured, Indicated, and Inferred categories (M, I &I) is 19.1 million tonnes grading 6.35 per cent zinc, 1.9 per cent lead, 0.93 per cent copper, 148 g/t silver, 1.39 g/t gold. The resource at Coffee (M, I & I) is 58.1 Mt grading 1.43 g/t gold for a total of 2.67 Moz of gold.

Western Copper and Gold Corp. continues to advance its Casino porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum project in western Yukon. A preliminary economic assessment (PEA) was completed in June and will form the basis of a feasibility study targeted for completion in Q2, 2022. The company conducted an integrated program including

metallurgical, geotechnical, resource confirmation, and exploratory diamond drilling in 2021. Western also did robotic scanning of core using the GeologicAI instrumentation which includes XRF, hyperspectral, and geotechnical analyses, as well as LiDAR. Banyan Gold Corp. conducted one of the larger exploration programs in the Yukon in 2021 at the AurMac property west of Keno. The company started their program in February and ran through to mid-December. The program has been a combination of infill drilling and step-out drilling at the Powerline deposit. Highlights of drilling include 0.75 g/t gold over 46.6 m in DDH AX-21-70 and 1.03 g/t gold over 81.4 m in DDH AX-21-88.

Cantex Mine Development Corp. conducted diamond drilling at the lead-zinc-silver North Rackla property, located 85 kilometres

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northeast of Keno. Drilling extended the strike length of the Main Zone mineralization 2.1 kilometre Drill hole YKDD21‐186 in the Main Zone intersected 6.06 per cent lead, 9.48 per cent zinc and 43.37 g/t silver over 4.8 m.

Blende Silver Corp., formerly Blind Creek Resources Ltd., completed an updated mineral resource estimate (NI 43-101) for the Blende silver-zinclead deposit in May, which returned 4.6 Mtonnes grading 1.82 per cent zinc, 1.63 per cent lead and 30.32 g/t silver in the Indicated category and 42.2 Mtonnes grading 1.83 per cent zinc, 1.62 per cent lead and 27.48 g/t silver in the Inferred category. The company conducted a 3D induced polarization survey, metallurgical, and resource expansion drilling on the deposit in 2021.

Snowline Gold Corp, a newly listed company, was active on a number of properties east of Keno. The company drilled 21 holes for 2,300 m at its Einarson property, drilled four holes for 804 m at its Rogue property and conducted an airborne versatile time domain electromagnetic (VTEM) survey, soil sampling and prospecting at the Ursa property. Highlights of this work include a drill intercept at Einarson, an epizonal orogenic gold prospect, where drill hole J-21-013 intercepted two intervals; 2.59 g/t gold over 27.0 m and 4.02 g/t gold over 10.6 m.

St. James Gold Corp. optioned the Red Mountain gold property, rebranding it as the Florin Gold project. The company updated the resource estimate for the deposit to 171 Mtonnes grading 0.45 g/t gold for a total of 2.474 Moz of gold (NI43-101, Inferred category, 0.30 g/t Au cut-off) and completed 3,613 m of diamond drilling in 15 holes with the aim of expanding the inferred gold resource.

Results from the drilling are pending.

White Gold Corp. was active again this year on their extensive claim holdings in the Dawson region, working several properties. The company completed an updated resource estimate for the VG deposit on the QV property (5.26 Mt grading 1.62 g/t gold for a total of 267,600 ounces (NI43-101, Inferred category)). The company also completed exploration, including diamond and reverse circulation (RC) drilling at Ryan’s Surprise, Ulli’s Ridge, Betty, Bonanza and Nolan properties.

Highlights from the drilling include a spectacular intercept at Betty, which ranks as one of the top 10 gold x m intercepts by Canadianlisted companies in 2021; hole D003 returned 3.46 g/t gold over 50.0 m.

Klondike Gold Corp. continued exploration on the Klondike District Gold property south of Dawson. The company drilled 7765.62 m in 63 holes.

Highlights from this work include 0.62 g/t gold over 58.0 m in hole LS21-402 and 1.08 g/t gold over 49.65 m in hole LS21-389.

Granite Creek Copper Ltd. released positive metallurgical results from its Carmacks copper-gold porphyry project. The testing on flotation of sulfide minerals determined that recoveries of 95 per cent copper into a 25 per cent copper concentrate can be achieved. The company completed 23 diamond drilling holes and 17 RC drill holes in 2021. Highlights from the program include 1.12 per cent copper, 0.20 g/t gold over 43.5 m in hole CRM21-004, 1.7 per cent copper, 0.29 g/t gold in hole CRM21-019, and 0.96 per cent copper, 0.18 g/t gold over 105.52 m in hole CRM21-011.

Triumph Gold Corp. completed a 19-hole diamond drill program at the Freegold Mountain property west of Carmacks. Highlights from the program include 1.52 g/t gold, 3.74 g/t silver, 0.18 per cent copper, 0.011 per cent molybdenum and 0.007 per cent tungsten over 80.50 m in hole RVD21-

003 in the WAu Zone and 0.27 g/t gold, 5.43 g/t silver, 0.22 per cent copper and 0.014 per cent molybdenum over 106.5 m in hole RVD21-05 from the Blue Sky Zone.

Nickel Creek Platinum Corp. completed a 12-hole diamond drilling program at the Nickel Shäw ultramafic-hosted nickel-coppercobalt-PGE property. Highlights of this program include 1.41 per cent nickel, 0.55 per cent copper, 0.02 per cent cobalt, 0.91 g/t platinum, 1.46 g/t palladium, and 0.12 g/t gold over 11.95 m in hole ASD21-004 at the Arch target.

Whitehorse Gold Corp. drilled 44 diamond drill holes at the pastproducing Skukum Gold Mine. At the Rainbow Zone, hole SC21-008 intersected 2.5 g/t gold, 431.8 g/t silver over 6.17 m and hole SC21-015 had multiple intersections of 10.3 g/t gold, 93.9 g/t silver over 2.41 and 27.1 g/t gold, 346.4 g/t silver over 4.24 m, 11 m further down the hole.

At the Mac Pass project of Fireweed Zinc Ltd., which includes the Tom and Jason deposits, Fireweed Zinc drilled 13 holes, focusing on the Boundary Zone. Results from the Boundary Zone drilling included 7.71 per cent zinc, 0.70 per cent lead and 32.1 g/t silver over 46.96 m in hole NB21-001 and 1.54 per cent copper, 5.42 per cent zinc, 0.04 per cent lead and 5.6 g/t silver over 2.00 m in hole NB21005.

Exploration in 2021 continued to be constrained by COVID-19 restrictions, but due to high metal prices and increasing investor confidence, companies were able to raise money to conduct significant exploration programs. A number of advanced exploration projects progressed up the development chain, some old targets were re-visited returning pleasant surprises and some new discoveries resulted. 8 2022 | Mining North of 60

17

Community engagement plays a vital role in successful projects

By Ian Wilson, Saskatchewan Research Council

SRC is managing Project CLEANS (Cleanup of Abandoned Northern Sites) – a multi-year, multimillion-dollar project aimed at assessing and reclaiming the Gunnar mine and mill site, Lorado mill and 35 satellite mine sites in northern Saskatchewan near Lake Athabasca.

THE NEED FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT For companies operating in the mining and energy sectors, community engagement is an important component of many projects and sites, from exploration through operation to remediation.

A key to success is the integration of local knowledge into operational and closure plans. However, before this knowledge can be integrated, local trust and project understanding must be established. This can only be developed through a principlecentred approach to a shared project vision, two-way communication of knowledge, alignment of project goals, and understanding the local needs early in the project. Once community confidence is obtained, this local trust and project understanding must be maintained throughout the entirety of the project. An important principle

18 Mining North of 60 | 2022

of this approach is to co-generate plans and activities with communities and not just develop them on the communities’ behalf.

During exploration and environmental assessment phases, integration of local knowledge can include: the development and implementation of land use surveys to determine realistic travel and occupancy needs, specific traditional knowledge and land use studies to develop a detailed working knowledge of local land use, resource utilization, country food intake, and human history of the site(s). The local knowledge gained during the assessment process is invaluable as it provides the information required to support project planning, such as: valued ecosystem components, human trophic utilization, length of site occupancy, cultural value assessment, and future land use considerations.

This approach requires an open planning method that requires the proponent to not only communicate with local communities, but be open and prepared to adjust the project planning to accommodate the direction provided through these processes. For meaningful dialogue to take place, a relationship of trust and joint understanding must be built.

Building trust through community presence and open communication is very easy to say, but very hard to do and takes a lot of time and effort.

Gaining trust means you have the social license needed to work in the region. Not only is it important to gain trust, but it also takes work to maintain it.

THE ROLE SRC IS PLAYING The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) is managing Project CLEANS (Cleanup of Abandoned Northern

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• Closure plan evaluation and design • Remediation activities and risk management • Community engagement

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SRC holds regular community meetings to provide updates and receive feedback from northern residents.

Key concerns addressed through this engagement process include human and environmental health, employment and business opportunities, remediation options, and potential site end-uses.

Sites) – a multi-year, multimilliondollar project aimed at assessing and reclaiming the Gunnar mine and mill site, Lorado mill and 35 satellite mine sites in northern Saskatchewan near Lake Athabasca. The project is funded by the Governments of Saskatchewan and Canada.

Uranium from these sites was mined by private companies from the early 1950s to the mid-1960s. When the mines and mills were abandoned, there was very little decommissioning completed. Because of this, the sites pose potential risks to the surrounding communities and environment. SRC has been working since 2006 to safely

20 Mining North of 60 | 2022

reduce these risks through extensive decommissioning, remediation, and monitoring work.

Engagement of local communities has been key as SRC’s Project CLEANS team maintains working relationships with local residents and their leadership within the communities.

SRC holds regular community meetings to provide updates and receive feedback from northern residents. Key concerns addressed through this engagement process include human and environmental health, employment and business opportunities, remediation options, and potential site end-uses.

THE WAY FORWARD SRC developed an adaptive and open process to engage local communities that continues to evolve as community leadership changes, local expectations increase with project success, and the project parameters progress and change.

Although SRC’s approach to the development of communications, trust, and traditional knowledge integration has been specifically applied to Project CLEANS, the approach and concept is applicable through the entirety of the mining cycle (exploration, assessment, construction, operations, remediation, and divestment) in any geographic region.

For more information on SRC’s community engagement work with Project CLEANS, go to www.src.sk.ca/project-cleans. 8

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21

Nighthawk set to soar after completing year one of its ambitious two-year exploration plan For the first time, Nighthawk set a goal for its exploration activities, where the approx. 200,000 metres of drilling would provide support to deliver a robust PEA.

A

t the beginning of 2021, Nighthawk Gold Corp. announced new leadership and a new two-year strategy which highlighted a more aggressive approach to exploration, with the intentions of advancing the project towards a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA). This was very refreshing news given that the company has been around for over a decade, and while its current resource base of just over 3Mozs is substantial, the company has ambitious plans that could see this story soaring to new heights.

NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM AND VISION Nighthawk’s newly enhanced management team is led by Keyvan Salehi, P.Eng., EMBA, a 20-plus-year professional mining engineer who has worked with several well-established mining companies and provides extensive operational, M&A, and capital markets expertise. Prior to

22 Mining North of 60 | 2022

joining Nighthawk, Salehi spent four years in the Northwest Territories with Mountain Province Diamonds (who with DeBeers, jointly operate the 12,000 tpd Gacho Kué open pit diamond), and prior to that was with St. Andrew Goldfields Ltd. and Kirkland Lake Gold.

Vice-president of exploration, Richard Roy, P.Geo, is a 30-plusyear professional geologist who was previously with Semafo (for over 10 years), and Endeavour. He has also contributed to the discovery of more than 10 different deposits, five of which reached production.

The new vision was formulated to fully explore and bring to light the potential of this vast, yet underexplored Archean gold camp. Along with the new vision, a new tone of ambition was set as the company highlighted an aggressive approach to exploration over the next two years, focused on:

• Near-surface mineralization within the Colomac Centre and proximal to Colomac; • Testing greenfield targets hosted within a variety of deposit settings to foster new discoveries; and • Seeking out higher-grade mineralization which would ultimately increase the overall resource grade for the open-pit ounces

For the first time, Nighthawk set a goal for its exploration activities, where the approx. 200,000 metres of drilling would provide support to deliver a robust PEA. This is a key milestone which could catapult Nighthawk back into the spotlight.

NIGHTHAWK’S TWO-YEAR PLAN An aggressive exploration program requires proper assessment and planning, and most importantly, the ability to prioritize targets. There is an abundance of gold targets and showings within the company’s entire land position, but given the goal of delivering a robust PEA to the market, the company targeted near-surface mineralization with higher-grade opportunities. In early February, Nighthawk entered into an Option Agreement to acquire the Kim & Cass Property, which consists of two zones with a historical noncompliant resource of 0.25Mozs at a grade of 2.66 g/t Au (see press release

dated February 18, 2021). This area shows a lot of potential to not only grow resources along strike, as well as to depth, but at significantly higher grades than the current open pit resource grade.

The Kim & Cass Property, along with other known zones within the Colomac Centre, and a variety of greenfield

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targets were assembled with an ultimate goal of increasing the open pit resources to approx. 2.5Mozs with a resource grade of +2.00 g/t Au. How did Nighthawk come up with this number? By reverse engineering the size and scale of operation Nighthawk envisions building. Based on science and data, the company

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Greenfield targets were identified to test a variety of deposit settings with potentially higher-grade, near-surface mineralization.

A total of 13 targets were included as part of the 2021 exploration program.

To date, 17,990 metres of drilling from targets within the Colomac Centre have been reported on. There have been siginificant delays in assay turnaround, leaving a lot of news still pending.

Nighthawk notes a successful 2021 program, which was more than double the number of metres completed in any given year prior, with a stellar safety record, and no cases of COVID-19 at camp for the duration of the program.

NIGHTHAWK SET TO SOAR

had an understanding of what the property package could provide within a two-year exploration window and prioritized targets to suit.

Why 200,000 metres of drilling?

Between 2010 and 2020, approximately 185,000 metres of drilling was conducted by Nighthawk, which resulted in the current resource base of 2.3Mozs of Indicated resources with an additional 0.8Mozs of Inferred Resources (see press release dated March 1, 2021). However, the majority of work was conducted within a very small footprint at

24 Mining North of 60 | 2022

the Colomac Centre. Nighthawk anticipated that this level of exploration was required to meet its stated goals and objectives, especially in light of testing new greenfield targets, many of which had never been drill tested before.

NIGHTHAWK COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL 2021 EXPLORATION PROGRAM OF 72,325 METRES OF DRILLING The company commenced drilling during the third week of March to test resource expansion targets, which were drilled principally on-strike to potentially add to the in-pit resources.

The new leadership and new vision have garnered solid support from exisiting shareholders (Northfield Capital, Kinross Gold Corp., and Osisko Development) and new institutional shareholders who participated in the last financing (institutional ownership increased from five per cent to 21 per cent). Nighthawk anticipates ending the year with a healthy cash balance that will take it well into the first half of next year and the commencement of its 2022 exploration program.

With pending newsflow from key targets such as the Kim & Cass zones, additional drilling at the five deposits within the Colomac Centre, and a number of greenfield targets like JPK and Fishhook, there is a lot of upside leading up to the year end resource update, which is expected within the first quarter of 2022. Nighthawk’s experienced and dedicated management team is committed to advancing the project up the value chain to unlock its full potential, and the next few months could see Nighthawk soar to new heights. 8

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Coming home A challenge and an opportunity at Keno Hill

S

hawn Pelechaty’s parents worked for United Keno Hill Mines in Elsa, and when the opportunity arose to become the mill manager for Alexco Resource Corp. at their Keno Hill operation, there was an obvious attraction.

“My dad worked in the mill here and my mom was in the accounting world,” said Pelechaty. “You could pretty much say I am a mining brat, but when you come back to a place that you were fond of as a kid and you get an opportunity to help it succeed, you want to do all you can to do that.”

Similarly, for Don Curry, Keno Hill’s current site services supervisor, being part of the team tasked with delivering on the restart of Canada’s only primary silver mine was a chance to go full circle in his over 40-year mining career.

“I wanted to be part of the start up team put together by Brad Thrall [Alexco’s president] and Wayne Zigarlick [vicepresident operations and Keno Hill general manager]; plus, I

"My current bunkhouse room is 40 feet from the house where I was raised as a boy," says Don Curry, Keno Hill site services supervisor.

"I think that this place will be the hidden gem of the mining industry," says Shawn Pelechaty, Keno Hill mill manager.

have to admit I felt some nostalgia in the idea of returning to work on the same hills where I first worked as an 18 year old building exploration trails and trenching, and where both of my grandfathers and my father worked,” said Curry.

Since Alexco formally made the decision to re-start operations in June 2020, significant progress has been made at the site, which has been a testament to the dedication of its workforce, especially considering the challenges posed by the pandemic.

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“Alexco started this mine in one of the most challenging times; but having experienced operators, drivers, and labourers were key to getting the site ready,” said Curry, adding that the challenges of such an undertaking have also proven to be the source of a lot of pride. “The most meaningful part of my job is interacting with the guys and girls through mentoring, training, and some story telling.

Our toolbox meetings are the best part of the day for me.

I enjoy the camaraderie of my team, blending a sense of humour with the day’s expectations helps set the tone for the day.”

good sense of humour allows us to build a culture here knowing we can enjoy our work, but when it is time to get down to work, we get the job done,” said Pelechaty. “We all understand that, and I can tell you, we have some awesome people here that know how to work.”

In early 2022, Keno Hill will complete its ramp up and reach steady-state production of approximately 4.5 million ounces of silver per annum. With that task completed, new opportunities and challenges for employees at site are sure to emerge, and the team looks forward to those.

That culture is also something that Pelechaty sees as an important key to success.

“I thrive on goal setting, both short-term and long-term,” said Curry. “I personally feel proud when those goals are achieved, and everyone comes back safely.”

“When you are part of a good team, the camaraderie allows you the freedom to really have some good laughs, and a

“I believe that when we succeed as a team there is a real sense of accomplishment,” adds Pelechaty. 8

2022 | Mining North of 60

27

Finding a new copper porphyry in Western Yukon

A

TAC Resources Ltd. has been busy working to uncover a new copper porphyry at their roadaccessible Connaught Property in Western Yukon.

Connaught is located 65 kilometres west of Dawson City, within the headwaters of the Sixtymile Placer camp (reported to have produced over 560,000 ounces of gold).

The Connaught property has long been explored for high-grade silverlead-gold epithermal veins, with exploration work documented back into the mid-1900s – including smallscale high-grade mining in the 1960s and 1970s. A renewed focus this year has uncovered what appears to be significant copper porphyry potential with multiple priority targets identified along a 13-kilometre trend of favourable intrusive rocks.

ATAC has held the property for close to 20 years, with sporadic exploration on the 26 distinct silver-lead-gold veins, but these new discoveries have

28 Mining North of 60 | 2022

Connaught road and trench.

the potential to refocus attention onto a much larger prize.

“When we started ATAC, we were a prospect generator with a large portfolio of properties,” said Graham Downs, president and CEO. “With our focus on a flagship property elsewhere in Yukon, we sold off most of our other holdings over the years, but liked Connaught too much to ever let it go. The results from this year’s work are incredibly exciting – we’re very glad we kept the property and look forward to a significant drill campaign in 2022.”

Historical reports by previous operators highlighted the possibility for a porphyry centre to be present on the property – an intrusive source linked to the known epithermal veins – however, until this year, systematic exploration had never been conducted to test the theory.

“The late Cretaceous Prospector Mountain Suite rocks are underexplored, close in age to

Western Copper and Gold’s Casino deposit in Yukon, and right in line with Kenorland’s Tanacross project in Alaska,” continued Downs. “Connaught and Tanacross are both located along the Sixtymile-Pika fault system – a key regional scale structural corridor – suggesting we could be looking at a similar style of target.”

Another barrier to porphyry exploration in the past was a fragmented claim base over the key exploration area. With encouraging soil data on their existing claims, ATAC set out to consolidate the land package. In late 2020 they made deals with two local prospectors and staked infill claims to secure the target area, setting the stage for the start of systematic exploration this year. The property is now over 137 square-kilometres in size, with the key porphyry target areas secured.

In 2021 the company conducted extensive exploration activities to evaluate the porphyry potential.

Additional soil sampling was

Connaught copper rock.

completed across the newly acquired claims, with over 2,000 samples collected. Two large ground geophysical surveys were also completed, with 39 line-kilometres of induced polarization and 113 kilometres of ground magnetics data collected.

With the data in hand, the company has now identified four distinct target areas with coincident copper, molybdenum, and/or gold in soil and corresponding geophysical anomalies.

“This year we were hoping to identify one meaningful target for future work,” commented Downs. “The results far exceeded our expectation, with multiple exciting targets across an extensive area. This gives us the ability to advance the top targets to drilling while we continue exploring the earlier stage peripheral areas.”

Ten trenches were also excavated within a previously known 1,200 by 600 metre copper and molybdenum soil anomaly – now termed Target Area A – with nine of the 10 trenches returning visual copper mineralization, including malachite, azurite, tenorite and/or chalcopyrite. ATAC has released results from the first two trenches, with Trench A returning 93 metres of 331 ppm copper, and Trench B returning 69 metres of 548 ppm copper. Highlight grab samples from the trenches have returned up to 0.69 per cent copper in highly altered and leached quartz monzonite porphyry rock.

“We’re incredibly encouraged by what

Connaught trenching.

we’re seeing so far. It’s important to recognize this property lies in an unglaciated environment, which means copper grades are depleted at surface due to atmospheric leaching over millions of years.”

This target was a completely new

For comparison, the leached cap at the nearby Casino deposit in Yukon grades 300 ppm and averages 70 metres thick, according to Western Copper and Gold’s recently updated Mineral Resource. This puts ATAC’s first trench result right in line, and the second at nearly double Casino’s surface grade.

are in Target Area A, the geophysical

“Stay tuned for more news from this project as we prepare for a maiden drill program targeting the porphyry in 2022,” said Downs.

of porphyry systems,” explained Downs.

Soil sample results from this year on newly acquired claims extended this target area 500 metres to the east and 600 metres to the north, to a total size of 2,000 by 1,100 metres.

Geophysics at Target Area A show a broad magnetic high around a central magnetic low underlying the trenching area. This could be representative of a magnetic destruction feature – a common alteration indicator present at porphyry targets. A zone of strong chargeability was also identified southwest of the trenches, suggestive of more sulphide mineralization at depth.

addition to the Connaught property,

A second priority area – Target Area B – was also identified within the geophysical survey area, approximately 2.5 kilometres southeast of Area A.

discovery resulting from 2021 work, with a 1,300-by-1,700 copper soil anomaly with more sporadic gold and molybdenum anomalism. While the soil values are not as strong as they response has ATAC very intrigued.

“The ground magnetic survey revealed a very distinctive circular magnetic high around a central magnetic low.

This donut-shaped feature is very distinctive and a classic characteristic

ATAC is a junior mining company focused on exploring for gold and copper in Yukon and Nevada. In it holds the 1,700-square-kilometre Rackla Gold Property in Central Yukon and has an option to earn in to 100 per cent of the East Goldfield Property in Nevada, where a 4,000-metre maiden RC drill program was recently completed. The company trades on the TSX Venture Exchange in Canada under the symbol ATC and the OTCQB Venture Market in the U.S. under the symbol ATADF. ATAC is well-funded, with approximately $6 million in working capital, and has a demonstrated track record of discovery.

For more information on the company or the Connaught property, visit their website at www.atacresources.com. 8 2022 | Mining North of 60

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High grade Yukon silver – Alianza looks to a busy 2022

The Bighorn target, a newly discovered vein made by Alianza in 2019, returned 125 g/t silver from a 2.35 metre intersection.

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lianza Minerals Ltd. (TSXV:ANZ, OTCQB:TARSF) will be busy this winter as it plans its 2022 drill programs at two projects in the Yukon territory. The explorer enjoyed highgrade silver results from its Haldane project in the historic Keno Hill Mining District, where drilling in 2022 will continue to expand the new West Fault target. In southern Yukon, Alianza’s partner, a subsidiary of Coeur Mining, Inc. (NYSE: CDE), spent 2021 refining drill targets, and planning/permitting of the 2022 program is underway.

metres estimated true width (ETW)) of 311 g/t silver, 0.89 per cent lead and 1.13 per cent zinc cored by 3.30 metres (1.78 metres ETW) of 818 g/t silver, 3.47 per cent lead and 1.03 per cent zinc. This intersection tested the West Fault 55 metres along strike to the southwest and 40 metres down dip of the 2011 drillhole, confirming management’s exploration thesis that “Keno-style” veins with the correct mineralogy, even if narrow, are extremely favourable drill targets that can dramatically widen to potentially ore grade and width structures.

Prior to early 2021, the West Fault target at Alianza’s Haldane Project was relatively unknown. That changed when the company announced results of two holes at the target from the late 2020 winter drilling campaign.

Drill hole HLD20-19, following up a 2011 intersection of 320 g/t silver over 2.2 metres, cut 16.15 metres (8.72

The property covers Mt. Haldane, a landmark located halfway between Mayo and Keno City on the Silver Trail route, in the traditional territory of the First Nation of Na-cho Nyak Dun. Mt. Haldane was the focus of exploration and small-scale development around the time of the first Keno Hill discoveries over 100 years ago.

30 Mining North of 60 | 2022

Underground development at two areas, the Johnson and Middlecoff veins, resulted in one adit at Johnson (2.1 t of 4,600 g/t silver produced) and three levels of development at Middlecoff, where 25 t of 3,100 g/t silver was produced. As the old timers conducted this work, they established the original trails that now provide road access into the Haldane targets.

Recent road and powerline upgrades along the Silver Trail, the opening of Victoria Gold’s (TSX:VGCX) Eagle gold mine just north of Haldane, and the reopening of Alexco Resources Corp.’s (TSX:AXU) Keno Hill Mine has provided further infrastructure improvements that benefit Haldane.

With the success of the 2020 program, Alianza established a camp onsite and returned to the West Fault for the latest campaign, completing five additional holes to test the downdip and strike extensions of the HLD20-19

mineralization with 50-metre stepouts. Mineralization has now been outlined over 100 metres in strike and 90 metres of dip direction, highlighted by high-grade silver mineralization, particularly in holes HLD21-24 and 25.

HLD21-24 cut 5.24 metres (3.14 metres ETW) of 1,351 g/t silver, 2.43 per cent lead and 2.91 per cent zinc, including 2.10 metres of 3,267 g/t silver (ETW of 1.26 metres). HLD21-25 intersected another 6.83 metres (4.27 metres ETW) of 363 g/t silver, 1.73 per cent lead and 2.80 per cent zinc including 1.60 metres (1.00 metres ETW) of 1,107 g/t silver. Importantly, Alianza is identifying the potential strike and plunge direction of high-grade mineralization, and what may turn out to be multiple productive splays within a complex of faults in the West Fault structure.

With the West Fault target developing into a strong Keno-style vein target, Alianza is planning a substantial

2022 | Mining North of 60

31

With the West Fault target developing into a strong Keno-style vein target, Alianza is planning a substantial program in 2022 to define the size and grade of the mineralized system at West Fault, and to continue drilling other targets on the property such as the Middlecoff and Bighorn targets.

program in 2022 to define the size and grade of the mineralized system at West Fault, and to continue drilling other targets on the property such as the Middlecoff and Bighorn targets. In addition to the small-scale production from Middlecoff, underground drilling reportedly intersected high-grade mineralization that has yet to be followed up, including 1.20 metres of 2,791 g/t silver; a compelling target for further drilling.

Additionally, the Bighorn target, a newly discovered vein made by Alianza in 2019, returned 125 g/t silver from a 2.35 metre intersection. This target was defined by soil geochemical sampling in 2018 that outlined a silver-lead-molybdenum soil anomaly with silver values peaking at 63.8 g/t silver. With no outcrop in the Bighorn area, soil geochemical sampling has proven highly effective at delineating

32 Mining North of 60 | 2022

productive vein mineralization here and has the potential to enable the Alianza exploration team to discover additional vein faults obscured by overburden on the property.

In southern Yukon, Alianza has optioned its Tim Property to Coeur Mining, Inc., which owns the Silvertip silver-lead-zinc mine 20 kilometres south of Tim. Coeur is earning an 80 per cent interest in the project by completing $3.55 million in exploration over five years, making $575,000 in staged cash payments and completing a feasibility study by the eighth anniversary of the agreement.

The geological setting at Tim closely resembles that at Silvertip, and mineralization at Tim appears to be very similar. Coeur is bringing its expertise in the region to bear on the property, having wrapped up its first exploration program at Tim in 2021. This consisted of investigating historical high-grade silver mineralization in trenches dating back to the 1980s which had identified four- to 30 metre-wide silver-bearing oxide mineralization over a 1,700

metre trend in the trenches. Prior trench results include 356 g/t silver over 3.7 metres. Coeur’s 2021 program re-opened some of the 12 historical trenches and was augmented by mapping, soil geochemical sampling, and an airborne VTEM geophysical survey. Results of the program are expected in late 2021 and planning for 2022 drilling is underway.

With silver in high demand, and the

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potential for a significant increase in price in 2022, Alianza will have active drilling programs at two significant primary Yukon silver projects. With Haldane and Tim both in close proximity to mining operations, they certainly have the right location and geological characteristics to be successful projects. The company expects a busy field season in 2022 with the potential for high-grade silver results. 8

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Sixty North, developing towards gold production

T

he Yellowknife Gold Belt is home to some famous pastproducing high-grade gold mines like the Discovery Mine (past production one-million ounces of gold from one-million tons of ore), the Negus and Con Mines (combined past-producing six-million ounces of gold from 12 million tonnes of ore), and the appropriately named Giant Mine (past-producing eightmillion ounces of gold from 16 million tonnes of ore). The first three of these past producers started in the 1930’s and 1940’s at 100 tpd, whereas the last one started at 235 tpd in the 1940’s and ramped up as development warranted. It’s been a long time since a new operation poured the stuff Yellowknife is famous for.

In 2021, Sixty North Gold moved all heavy equipment, supplies, and services to the Mon Property, 45-kilometres north of Yellowknife.

34 Mining North of 60 | 2022

Sixty North Gold Mining Ltd. (CSE: SXTY; FKT: 2F4; OTC-Pink: SXNTF) has focused on the development

Phase 2 will see further development of stopes in preparation of feeding a 100 tpd mill which the company plans to bring onto site. of mineral deposits using the same concepts as used successfully in the past for all of these past producers, using modern equipment. These past producers were all initially viewed as small high-grade deposits with low capital costs, however all of these have proven to be much larger than expected.

In 2021, the company moved all heavy equipment, supplies, and services to the Mon Property, 45-kilometres north of Yellowknife where production in the 1990’s from two 15-metre-high stopes produced 15,000 tonnes of ore yielding 15,000 ounces of gold.

This summer crews opened up some of the old workings and access was established to 17 metres below the historic stopes where the goldbearing vein was exposed in multiple locations. The Phase 1 program was to confirm the location and grade of the vein at this depth. Phase 2 will see further development of stopes in preparation of feeding a 100 tpd mill which the company plans to bring onto site. The company believes that historic production grades of 30 gold per tonne (gpt) in the 1990’s from stopes above our development, and a small stope at the north-end of our development confirm the potential.

Historic drill holes where our stopes are to be developed contain intersections confirming the vein location and grades (including 61.38 grams of gpt over 1.2 metres, and 25.37 gpt over 1.7 metres). 8

In 2021, Sixty North Gold moved all heavy equipment, supplies, and services to the Mon Property, 45-kilometres north of Yellowknife.

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Agnico Eagle Mines currently operates three mines in Nunavut: the Meliadine mine and Meadowbank Complex in the Kivalliq region, and the Hope Bay mine in the Kitikmeot region. PHOTO CREDIT: AGNICO EAGLE MINES – MELIADINE. BY MATHIEU DUPUIS.

Infrastructure investments critical to mining industry success in Canada’s North

By Brendan Marshall

A

s the largest economic driver in Canada’s North, there is no question that the mining sector’s presence in Nunavut,

the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon is significant. According to the Conference Board of Canada, mining industry GDP contributions for 2021 for the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the Yukon are forecast at 27 per cent, 42 per cent, and 12.8 per cent respectively, totalling nearly $3 billion. Companies like Agnico Eagle, Baffinland, De Beers, Rio Tinto, and Dominion Diamond that

36 Mining North of 60 | 2022

operate in the region using standards like Towards Sustainable Mining are frequently recognized for their commitment to responsibly mining the materials we use every day.

So, what needs to happen for the North to truly reach its potential as a preferred destination for mining? The answer lies in continuing challenges on infrastructure development, or the lack thereof, that make northern Canada one of the most expensive places to mine in the world.

Without strategic improvements in infrastructure to enhance investment competitiveness, these regions

and their inhabitants will remain disproportionately reliant on transfer funding for core services and program delivery, frequently at lower standards than southern Canadian jurisdictions enjoy.

Strategic investments in energy infrastructure specifically are essential to reduce northern reliance on costly and higher-emitting fossil fuels. Off-grid mining companies, which encompass almost all mining operations in the North, are overwhelmingly dependent on liquid fuels for power generation and will remain so until a paradigm shift

ushers in the next generation of technologies. Until then, it remains in Canada’s best interest, and consistent with Indigenous reconciliation and clean technology development policy priorities, to ensure these vulnerable assets are not artificially rendered redundant.

partners in these territories. It took decades to cultivate relationships with local communities, establish meaningful partnerships, construct mines, train local workforces, and ultimately generate the wealth and prosperity this effort has made possible.

Electricity production for Nunavut alone consumes 55 million litres of diesel each year. Nunavut’s four operating mines have invested in best-in-class diesel energy infrastructure, which still requires more than 100 million litres of diesel each year to power their mine sites.

Currently, there are no other energy alternatives for Nunavut communities or industry, though a number of projects and applications which would support decarbonization are at various stages of development and partnership.

There is no question the future of Canada’s mining industry lies increasingly in Canada’s North, with

The Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link is just one example of an Inuit-led project that will deliver renewable energy and broadband service to underserved remote communities while enabling the region’s mining sector to flourish.

The Hydro-Fibre Link project is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to decarbonize communities and industry in Nunavut, improve quality of life and connectivity, and create new economic opportunities long into the future. The benefits from this project will be enormous for the environment and for the economies of Nunavut and Canada, and would work to solve two persistent problems at once.

Gold, diamond, and iron ore mining are excellent examples of the driving force the mining industry plays in supporting Indigenous reconciliation in remote regions. In Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, companies that mine these materials are the largest Indigenous employers and business

its abundance of minerals and metals and committed local workforce, but strategic policy decisions are needed to help overcome both acute and longstanding challenges in order for the region to truly seize the opportunity before it.

Brendan Marshall is the vice-president for Economic and Northern Affairs for the Mining Association of Canada. 8

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We need mining.

Mining needs you.

Written by Alex Parsons, MiHR

T

o build a safer, greener and more connected world, we need mining. And mining needs you.

Stemming from the national strategy, MiHR recently launched a new career awareness campaign: We Need Mining, Mining Needs You.

2. Transforming Perceptions - Transform youth perceptions of the mining sector and mining sector careers.

The Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) launched the National Youth Mining Career Awareness Strategy 2021-2026: Transformation, Innovation and Diversity following a two-year study on the context, challenges, and solutions for attracting youth to the industry. The National Strategy includes engaging with youth, building career awareness among young job seekers, and producing high-quality research to assist with evidencebased program development.

3. Reaching Younger Students - Integrate mining sector and mining career awareness into public education curricula and classrooms at the elementary, intermediate, and secondary levels.

“With growth in the sector, looming retirements, and an already tight labour market, the industry will be challenged to attract and develop an anticipated need of over 100,000 new workers over the next decade,” said Ryan Montpellier, MiHR’s executive director. “Significant effort is required to raise awareness of mining careers amongst youth and other under-represented groups to secure the labour supply required to meet industry demand given forecasted labour shortages. In support of the federal government’s Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan (CMMP), the national strategy aims to attract and develop highly qualified personnel to the mining industry.”

5. Promoting Diversity in the Workforce - Diversify the mining workforce by engaging with youth from underrepresented groups.

To realize its goals, the national strategy operates based on five key directions – requiring collaboration among industry stakeholders: 1. Increasing Youth Engagement - Engage youth and key stakeholders in the conception and implementation of mining career awareness initiatives.

38 Mining North of 60 | 2022

4. Building Alliances Between Industry and Education Foster innovative industry and post-secondary education partnerships to attract and prepare youth for careers in the mining sector.

Stemming from the national strategy, MiHR recently launched a new career awareness campaign: We Need Mining, Mining Needs You. Prominent on www.

MiningNeedsYou.ca and MiHR’s social media platforms, the campaign features several useful resources and tools highlighting mining as an innovative, challenging, and rewarding career choice.

The website showcases some of the green technology, medical tools, and entertainment devices that depend on minerals and metals. It explores the reality of modern mining and how its use of innovation, approach to environmental sustainability, enhanced safety measures, and diversity in the workforce make the industry an increasingly dynamic sector.

There is also a general knowledge quiz providing insight

into the common misconceptions about mining and an interactive job pathway tool which allows users to discover different entry-level occupations divided by category and see where these careers may lead. A suite of career profiles that provide in-depth information about common mining positions are linked to the pathway and can also be viewed separately.

Canada’s mining industry needs to attract more workers to fill growing and vacant occupations. Younger students approaching or graduating from post-secondary school are prime candidates, as their tech-savviness, ambition, and variety of skills and qualifications fit well into the mining sector. Many young workers also have skills in other industries that are highly transferrable to mining. With over 120 occupations available, there is a place in mining for everyone.

According to MiHR’s Mining Year in Review: National Outlook 2021 report, there is an anticipated drought in miningrelated engineering. Mining, geological, and material and metallurgical engineering are the three most relevant postsecondary engineering programs to the mining industry, yet they experienced the lowest undergraduate enrolment among all engineering programs and enrolment in miningrelated engineering programs contracted by over 25 per cent in Canada from 2015 to 2019. Additionally, it shows youth are less likely to choose mining as a career – the minerals and metals sector ranked as the least desired sector in a 2020 survey of 3,000 Canadians aged 15 to 30. Along with increased career awareness, the mining sector is also in dire need of young workers.

To help remedy this, MiHR’s Gearing Up wage subsidy program has helped over 1,200 Canadian post-secondary students gain mining experience since 2018. Funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Student Work Placement Program, Gearing Up offers a wage subsidy up to $7,500 to employers who create work placements.

MiHR also relaunched its Green Jobs program in summer 2021 in support of the national strategy. Another wage subsidy program – funded by the Government of Canada’s Science and Technology Internship Program – Green Jobs enables mining companies to hire job-ready youth who gain work experience in the sector through paid placements or training opportunities that focus on clean technology and innovation. Participating employers are compensated 80 per cent of each intern’s compensation to a maximum of $25,000 for job-ready youth and $32,000 for youth furthest from employment (Indigenous youth, youth in

northern regions, rural and remote communities, and youth with disabilities). Its current objective is to provide 25 placements by March 31, 2022.

MiHR is also developing a career ambassador program to help connect industry speakers with classrooms and youth community groups across the country, as well as mining career curriculum that can be used by teachers to help dispel myths and portray the modern mining industry.

“By choosing a career in mining, youth can help Canada become the world’s leading mining nation – setting a global example for environmental sustainability, social responsibility and technological innovation,” said Montpellier. “Through implementation of the new national strategy, youth in Canada will become more aware that mining is essential to our way of life today and to the world we want to create tomorrow; Gearing Up and Green Jobs helps them find their way in from the ground up.”

Industry stakeholders are urged to collaborate on national strategy objectives and take advantage of the wage subsidy programs. Together, we will build an inclusive, skilled, and sustainable Canadian mining workforce that anticipates and adapts to volatility and innovation. 8

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Procurement, employment, and partnership opportunities are mechanisms that are used to increase wealth for the Yukon First Nation people and contribute to Yukon’s economy.

PHOTO CREDIT: WWW.ARCHBOULD.COM.

Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce fosters the building of meaningful relationships

By Albert Drapeau, Executive Director, Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce

Y

ukon First Nations have called this land home from time immemorial. Over time, change occurs to the landscape, the environment,

and the people. The discovery of gold provided a firsthand view about how quickly change can happen and the need to adapt to these changes. Over the years, mining has become a major contributor to the Yukon’s economy.

Yukoners have made a living working in the mining sector or in sectors that support the mining industry.

40 Mining North of 60 | 2022

Back in 1973, when Elijah Smith and the contingent of Yukon First Nation representatives presented Together Today for Our Children of Tomorrow to Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau, they envisioned a world where Yukon First Nation people were actively participating and contributing to the Yukon. In it, Yukon First Nations stated: “The Yukon Indian people must play an important part in the development of the Yukon. If we are to take part in the social, economic and political

life of this country we must have a solid economic base. We must have a chance to help plan the future of this land if we are going to benefit from its development.” (The Yukon Indian People, 1973, p. 21).

This is saying that Yukon First Nations need to be a part of society, to have the resources to do the work, and to be in control of their destiny. There is not a way to turn back, but rather, the need to look forward and adapt to changes faced by Yukon First Nation people.

Mining investors and the mining companies’ CEOs understand that involving Yukon First Nations from the onset of a project is needed.

This document was the basis of today’s Yukon Land Claim Final Agreements and Self-Government Agreements that 11 of the 14 Yukon First Nations have signed. These agreements provide Yukon First Nation governments authority to govern their settlement lands and people. The agreements provide for meaningful participation in all facets of the Yukon, including economic development and the land and resources within their traditional territories.

Over the past decades, the shift that occurred in the mining sector has witnessed the incorporation of new technology and practices, but most importantly, the building of relationships with Yukon First Nations. Mining investors and the mining companies’ CEOs understand that involving Yukon First Nations from the onset of a project is needed. As with any relationship, it is imperative to take the time to learn about the First Nation, its people, and values. It is also important to explain the project and it is valuable to build trust. One thing to remember is that when a project is located in an overlap territory, relationships need to be developed with each First Nation, and the important key here is that each have differing engagement protocols. Therefore, it is important

The Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce believes that when Yukon First Nations succeed, so too does the Yukon business community and all Yukoners. Photo credit: www.archbould.com.

to establish a rapport with the First Nation leadership and development corporation.

In 2014, the founding members of the Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce identified the gap of industry needing to learn more about Yukon First Nation protocols, values, and communication methods. The founding members from Yukon First Nation Development Corporations, industry (including the mining sector), and service sector formed the Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce to foster relationship building and expand on existing networks.

Upon reflection on Together Today for Our Children of Tomorrow, the opportunity for Yukon First Nation businesses to participate in the mining sector exists. Procurement, employment, and partnership opportunities are mechanisms that are used to increase wealth for the Yukon First Nation people and contribute to Yukon’s economy. The Yukon First Nation leaders of 1973 envisioned building a solid economic base needed for Yukon First Nations to “…help plan the future of this land”.

The Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce’s mandate is to introduce and foster relationships between the mining sector, industry, and Yukon First Nation Development Corporations. Hosting events and conferences that promote dialogue and network building; hosting forums and workshops; and by introducing the CEOs to the mining sectors representatives, all help to build the connection. Yukon is small and we need to work together to prosper.

The Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce believes that when Yukon First Nations succeed, so too does the Yukon business community and all Yukoners.

Yukon First Nations will be here for generations to come, this is our home and our livelihood. Our predecessors thought about us and defined the path, our generation is now implementing that path and investing in our future as we work for our next generations to come.

SOURCES The Yukon Indian People, (1973), Together Today for Our Children Tomorrow, Charters Publishing Company Limited. 8 2022 | Mining North of 60

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CMC Metals Ltd.: Exploring the world’s next silver district

C

MC Metals (TSX-V:CMB) is exploring high-grade polymetallic properties in Yukon, B.C., and Newfoundland. In Yukon and B.C., CMC is exploring the next major silver district in the world, the Rancheria Silver District, which is considered to be comparable to the Idaho Silver Belt. This district covers an area of 150 kilometres by 50 kilometres that transects the B.C.-Yukon border and hosts numerous high-grade silver-leadzinc occurrences, as well as three deposits – Silvertip (mine owned by Coeur Mining Ltd.), Logan, and CMC’s flagship Silver Hart deposit. CMC also has optioned four other properties in this district all characterized by above-average grade silver-lead-zinc occurrences.

We also have a couple of great

42 Mining North of 60 | 2022

polymetallic projects, Bridal Veil and Terra Nova, in the Gander Zone in central Newfoundland, which is the hotbed area of exploration for gold. Both properties are early stage projects, but have several showings with impressive grades of copper, silver, lead, +/- gold +/- tungsten +/bismuth.

OUR FLAGSHIP PROPERTY – SILVER HART Since 2019, CMC has initiated a highly successful systematic exploration program at Silver Hart, which has gotten lots of results from minimal investment. CMC increased the exploration footprint by more than 1,000 per cent, identified eight new targets, expanded the resource in the Main Zone through 3,200 metres of drilling, undertook considerable prospecting and geological mapping, and completed 3D modelling of our

An aerial view of the Amy property.

mineralized veins. From that work, CMC published a resource estimate in late 2020 of 7.5 M silver equivalent ounces at a grade of 548 g/t. That grade is approximately 40 per cent greater than all silver mines globally, and 140 per cent greater than all silver explorers and developers. In total, it has at least three of its other four projects in the Rancheria District showing promise of superb grades like at Silver Hart.

“We are very confident that our strategy to discover high-grade polymetallic deposits in the emerging Rancheria Silver district will be extremely successful,” says Kevin Brewer, president and CEO of CMC Metals Ltd.

UPCOMING PROPERTIES WITH HUGE UPSIDE EXPLORATION POTENTIAL Amy and Silverknife are high-grade

like ours, but we intend to achieve those goals and we will be patient about it. Upcoming catalysts include the issuance of another resource definition of the Main Zone at Silver Hart in Q1 2022. We are doing this to provide a clear signal to investors that this project has legs, we feel it can be a mine and it is heading in the right direction.”

CMC’s contingency plan should financing be restrictive is to: • Add value at Silver Hart by further expanding the exploration footprint, through additional soil geochemistry, trenching, and geological mapping/ prospecting.

Rock sample from the Amy property.

silver-lead-zinc plays in the Rancheria Silver district just inside of the British Columbia border. Silverknife shares the western boundary of Coeur’s silvertip mine claims and Amy is only an additional eight kilometres away. Both are road accessible, characterized with historical high grades, and have the desired geological setting and geophysical signatures as potential carbonate replacement deposits, skarn deposits, and high-grade polymetallic veins.

The Silverknife prospect has been drilled with intersections of up to 29 ounces silver, 10 per cent lead, and seven per cent zinc over 4.3 metres.

Amy has a historic resource identified in the 1970s of over 790 g/t silver equivalent, hosted in limestone, open both laterally and down-dip, has possible parallel structures and shares similarities to Coeur’s Silvertip deposit.

PLANS AHEAD In March of this year CMC flew airborne SkyTEM geophysical

44 Mining North of 60 | 2022

survey on all five of its properties in the Rancheria Silver district. CMC was extremely happy with the results of that survey as it served to delineate the geology and outline exploration targets on every property. At Silver Hart, the SkyTEM survey generated eight new targets, which were all verified as valid targets by exploration work this past summer, including mapping, prospecting, and soil/rock geochemistry. Priority targets include T1, T3, T4, and the “hockey stick anomaly”.

The company plans for 2022 are simple.

If market circumstances result in significant financing, CMC will conduct an extensive drilling program at Silver Hart to continue resource definition in the Main Zone and drill the new targets noted in several recent press releases (see: www.cmcmetals.ca).

John Bossio, chairman notes, “To fully uncover the exploration potential at Silver Hart we eventually need to complete in excess of 15,000 metres of drilling…a tall order for a small company

• Take Silverknife and Amy to “drill ready” stage by completing gravity ground geophysical survey to pinpoint drill targets at Silverknife, and at Amy to improve access, undertake an extensive trenching and sampling program, and establish drill roads and pads. Work is underway to permit this work.

• In Newfoundland, CMC is currently completing a soil survey at Bridal Veil and plans to permit trail development and trenching at Terra Nova.

CMC works hard to deliver its exploration programs with minimal overhead, efficient and cost-effective program delivery. The emphasis is on placing every possible dollar in the ground and directly managing all field programs.

CMC (TSX-V:CMB): HIGHLY UNDERVALUED AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INVESTMENT In 2020 CMC was one of the topperforming silver explorers in terms of return on investment on the TSX. Two analyst reports provided valuations of $0.25 and $0.40 prior to the 2021 field season and therefore CMC presents a good opportunity for investment. 8

Global leaders in environmental and advisory solutions: helping clients achieve their sustainability goals SLR provides a full range of technical and environmental services for the mining industry.

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Explorers soar with Avier Group One-stop-shop for flights, fuel, and logistics

By John Curran

Fuel Flo arranged tanker and barge, part of a multi-million-litre remote delivery.

W

hen it comes to making things happen in farflung places, no one flies higher than the Avier Group.

With deep roots in the North, especially in the mining sector, the Avier Group includes several

firms and partnerships – each with their own area of focus: Private Sky Aviation, Fuel Flo Petroleum & Logistics, and Kingaunmiut Services, as well as a real estate division.

“We’re operating all over the world, although Canada’s North will always be home,” says Travis Arychuk, Avier Group president and CEO, who now runs the group of companies from the Kelowna head office. “We are an integrated team born in the North and our expertise is servicing remote locations, not only in the North, but globally.”

The company formed in 2006, at the time with a purely aviation focus, but it’s been growing since then with Arychuk’s brother Ryan joining in 2008 with the launch of Fuel Flo. He serves as its president and oversees all operations in the North from the company’s Yellowknife office. Since then, they’ve also formalized a partnership in Nunavut’s Kitikmeot region that helps create wealth for local Inuit. This venture gives back to the communities they serve, a very important part of the Avier Group’s business plan.

46 Mining North of 60 | 2022

Dah 7 landing at remote site in Nunavut.

“Our group has helped with over $1 million of charitable donations across Canada for various charities and philanthropic endeavours,” said Arychuk, who also sits as an ambassador with the Make A Wish Foundation of Canada.

All it takes is one call and they can arrange and manage all of your flights, fixed wing and helicopters, drummed and bulk fuel, and all of your logistics needs.

“On any given day we’re arranging clients’ private jet charters globally, rotating 100 workers to an exploration camp in the Arctic and arranging for fuel shipments all over Canada’s North,” says Arychuk. “We’re doing everything from workforce flights via large jets to moving tech crews from Canada to the USA weekly via private jet, to managing multimillion-dollar aviation programs for mining and oil & gas, and everything in between.”

Private Sky Aviation is an aircraft charter agency and doesn’t operate any aircraft of its own. Instead, they find their clients the ideal equipment to suit their current daily requirements rather than forcing them to pick a platform based on the operators availability. This way, their clients can maximize efficiency and avoid chartering the wrong aircraft at the wrong price. Private Sky Aviation likes to manage every portion of the charter, and in many cases,

Consolidated approach to transportation, logistics

Our experience and deep connection with the North allows us to provide streamlined solutions for the most extreme challenges, in the world’s harshest environments.

Private Sky AVIATI O N

KINGAUNMIUT SERVICES

Travis, Ryan and Peter Arychuk.

find ways to drive down the costs with solutions like offering one-way splits for clients and just better overall management of the charters to maximize efficiency.

Arychuk says companies are often surprised at how much easier it can be working in the North when you have experienced suppliers you can count on.

“We’re working with one junior company in Nunavut, for example, that called up for a single flight in a bind. We were Plan D and someone advised them to call us. A few months on and now we manage all of their aviation needs and supply all of their fuel. From flights for passengers/cargo, bulk and drummed fuel, and all the logistics in between, we have proven that as a group we save our clients money every time.… we’ve got a great integrated accounting system so everything gets billed on one easy-to-read invoice.”

While a lifetime spent in aviation engrained a love of flight early in Arychuk, it’s Avier’s Kingaunmiut Services partnership that really gets him excited.

“My family has known and worked with the Kapolak family of Bathurst Inlet for more than 50 years starting with my grandparents, the Warners, through Bathurst Inlet Lodge.

Our partnership is built on friendship and trust – it’s a longterm, deep commitment, and we are fortunate to have some great clients who understand these unique partnerships and value the traditions they serve.”

One of these stand-out companies Arychuk and Sam Kapolak, president of Kingaunmiut, speaks highly of is Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. Sabina is not only a great client,

48 Mining North of 60 | 2022

Travis Arychuk flying in a Learjet.

but they truly took the time to consult with all the Inuit people and continue to on a regular basis. With COVID now in the picture, there is no company that takes the steps that they do to get their workforce safely to and from site, with no risk to the communities. Kingaunmiut – a Kitikmeot Qualified Business, as well as being NTI certified – arranges all flights between Edmonton and site in partnership with others. They also look after buses for workers when ground transport is required, and even oversee the COVID testing and hotels, prior to flying into camp. Kingaunmiut also looks after the drummed and bulk fuel for Sabina on an ongoing basis.

The Avier Group is never standing still and recently started arranging barged and tanker Arctic fuel shipments aligned with leaders in the fields.

“We continue to see growth in all aspects of our business.

As exploration and mining companies continue to look at ways to save money, our group is perfectly suited to this model,” says Arychuk. “Our mission is to offer a consolidated approach to aviation charter, fuel supply and logistics, and with one call our team can oversee and manage these all.

We will save you time and money, it’s proven and can be backed.”

Those specialized capabilities have been in great demand lately for reasons other than mining.

“With the flooding in B.C. and all of the highways out, we’ve been extra busy arranging flights for critical goods and pharmacare items,” he says. “In times like this, it feels good to be part of helping people get through a crisis.” 8

In the Northwest Territories, Aurora College has been delivering skilled trades education for more than 50 years.

Mining an untapped resource Women in non-traditional occupations

I

ndustries and employers across Canada have for years been facing a shortage of skilled tradespeople and individuals experienced in operating heavy equipment.

This is due in a large part to an aging workforce coupled with fewer young people pursuing these careers.

A September 2021 report by the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) estimates that 700,000 skilled tradespeople are expected to retire by 2028, and predicts a 10,000-worker deficit in nationally recognized trades over the next five years. The inclusion of provincially regulated trades increase that estimate by a multiplier of ten. As well, new apprenticeships have been on the decline for more than a decade.

50 Mining North of 60 | 2022

The Northwest Territories (NWT) is no exception to the national trend.

According to Skills4Success, a 15-year labour market analysis and projection report commissioned by the Government of the Northwest Territories, the NWT will see 28,500 to 36,700 job openings between 2015 and 2030. Most of those positions will require either technical training or certification, or a post-secondary diploma or degree.

The prominence of skilled labourintensive industries such as mining and construction in the NWT creates a vulnerability to such current and projected labour shortages.

Traditionally and at present, a disproportionate number of skilled

tradespeople in the north are temporary or fly-in non-resident workers.

One solution to the expected skilled labour shortage may be to take a page out of history: provide more opportunities for the largest underrepresented demographic in the field – women. During the Second World War, the sudden shortage of men in skilled labour positions opened the door to women, who filled the jobs successfully and proved capable of performing the duties of the positions.

After the war, however, most skilled labour positions reverted to male employees. Currently, women make up only five per cent of skilled

In the Northwest Territories, Aurora College has been delivering skilled trades education for more than 50 years. tradespeople in Canada, and that statistic includes the hairstyling and aesthetics sector, of which 84 per cent of the workers are women.

The NWT mining sector is ahead of the national curve, as women make up 15 per cent of that labour force.

However, women comprise 51 per cent of the population.

In the Northwest Territories, Aurora College has been delivering skilled trades education for more than 50 years. In 1968, Heavy Equipment Operator was the first course offered, and it has been delivered regularly since then. While women have enrolled in many skilled trades and apprenticeship programs at Aurora College, they are still a small minority

of students in these programs.

In 2021, to encourage participation of more women, Aurora College – in collaboration with long-time training partner, the NWT Mine Training Society – offered its first Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) for Women program.

HEO for Women is a response to the needs of both the NWT labour market and northern residents. Meaningful employment opportunities exist across the north for trained heavy equipment operators, and women are under-represented in the field.

The program is part of Aurora College’s larger goal of encouraging more women and under-represented populations to enter trades and

industrial training careers. While women can and do enroll in the regularly scheduled deliveries of HEO and industrial training programs at Aurora College, research indicates that many women feel more comfortable attending all-female training programs for non-traditional occupations. The program also allows the opportunity to offer workshops and discussions on topics within the course that are more likely to affect women.

With the success of the pilot program, Aurora College is now considering adding HEO for Women to its regular program rotation. HEO for Women is one initiative in Aurora College’s larger commitment to providing additional opportunities for women in the nontraditional skilled trade sector. Other programs being considered include Women in Trades and specialized trades introduction programs for women. 8

Aurora College programming prepares graduates for all phases of the mining life cycle including exploration, development, production, and mine reclamation

For more information on our programs or to apply online: www.auroracollege.nt.ca Email: info@auroracollege.nt.ca Follow us on Social media

2022 | Mining North of 60

51

Tundra Mine Remediation Project

By John Mackenzie, AECOM

T

he Tundra Mine site is located approximately 240 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife, NWT, on the east side of Matthews Lake, and ultimately discharges into the east arm of Great Slave Lake.

The site is remote and lies within the Akaitcho Territory, the Wek’eeshii and Monwhi Goga De Nittaee areas of the Tlicho Land Claim Agreement and North Slave Métis traditional lands.

Tundra Mine, owned by Royal Gold, was operated as an underground gold mine from 1964 until 1968 and supported operations at the nearby Salmita Mine from 1983 to 1987. During its lifetime, Tundra Mine produced some 3,250 kg (104,480 troy ounces) of gold. In 1987, the mine was permanently closed, and in 1999, it reverted to the Crown when the mine’s owner went into receivership.

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) is currently the custodian of the site.

Tundra Mine features of site cleanup

tailings water was treated so that the contaminant levels were reduced to well below acceptable background levels in the discharge streams. At the same time, this activity eliminated the risk of a dam failure and a discharge of contaminated water into the environment (See article titled “Tundra Mine Emergency Treatment Challenge” in the 2010

The Canadian government is responsible for numerous orphan mine sites across the Arctic. Historically, mining operations were started with no closure plan in place or funding set aside for site remediation and reclamation when mining stopped. As in many cases, as the profitability of the mines decreased, the owners declared bankruptcy and abandoned the mine, along with all the associated contamination, equipment, and buildings.

NTWWA Journal).

After the site became the responsibility of CIRNAC, it was assessed, and a plan was made for the cleanup. The initial phase of the cleanup was started over a decade ago, with tailings and hydrocarbon contamination remediation work completed in the initial phase. During this phase of the project, it was found that two tailings ponds on the site were reaching precariously high levels and the dams were at risk of failing. This failure would result in the release of millions of litres of arsenic-contaminated water, as well as tailings that could potentially contaminate the surrounding watershed for hundreds of kilometres.

geomembrane and covered with gravel and sand to protect

This critical situation meant it was urgent to reduce the volume of arsenic-contaminated water in the tailings ponds to reduce the risk of dam failure to manageable and acceptable levels. At this point, 100,000 cubic metres of

tailings area was the installation, through the cover

52 Mining North of 60 | 2022

During this phase, work was also done on the tailings area, which originally included two tailings ponds. In total, over 10,000 cubic metres of hydrocarbon contaminated soils were collected from the two tailings ponds, in addition to debris and waste rock which could potentially acidify rain and snow melt water. These soils were moved into a central tailings area, which was covered with layers of the liner and control erosion. Placing all the tailings and other contaminated materials into the one tailings area will reduce the potential for surface water to become contaminated, thereby keeping “clean water clean”.

Consolidating the materials into one place also limits the actual footprint where contaminated materials still exist on site. Later, the tailings ponds were covered with erosion protection material, and they continue to serve as drainage and flow-through areas for clean surface water.

An important part of the design of the new consolidated material and tailings, of ground temperature sensors and instruments to measure the underground water pressure.

These monitoring instruments were placed in several

locations so the information collected from them would give a good representation of the conditions, in various places and at various depths, of the area holding the tailings. The data collected by these instruments can be recorded at daily or hourly intervals so the conditions of the ground, tailings, and ground water can be assessed throughout the seasons.

When the mine was established in the 1960s, the natural drainage path between Mill Pond and Hambone Lake was cut off. Restoring this drainage path, which was done during the latter part of the project, added tremendous value for the natural environment and First Nations’ stakeholders.

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When the remedial work was completed in 2018, the Tundra Mine remediation project shifted to a management phase, during which monitoring and assessments will determine whether the remediation works will withstand the environmental conditions at this site and are performing as expected. This determination will include assessment of both the remedial work done and the environment downstream from this area.

The accomplishments in each phase of this remediation project at the Tundra Mine site resulted in significant improvements to the site and the surrounding environment.

Removing and disposing of hazardous materials off site, as well as the demolition and on-site landfilling of nonhazardous materials and derelict buildings, was a necessary and critical first task to ensure safe work conditions for the public and for following phases of the work.

With the completion of the Tundra Mine remediation project, the immediate risks to the public have been eliminated and the environment is protected in a manner consistent with the Water Licence and Land Use Permit.

The design of the project deliberately considered the low maintenance of the entire site in the future, along with the appropriate level of monitoring for the low maintenance framework.

The Tundra Mine Remediation project was an awardwinning submission to the Consulting Engineers of Alberta at the 2019 Showcase Awards.

Reprinted with permission from the NTWWA Journal, Ken Johnson, editor. 8

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53

Discover the services of Géosig

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 www.geosig.ca/  Québec (QC) : +1 (418) 877-7382  geosig@geosig.ca Gravimetric survey in isolated wooded environment.

Winter geophysical survey in remote areas.

S

ince 1976, Géosig Inc. offers our clients a wide range of services in the field of geophysics applied to mining exploration, civil engineering, and environmental monitoring across Canada.

The use of state-of-the-art instrumentation

and technology, as well as the extensive knowledge of our experienced staff, allow Géosig to perform various land geophysical surveys to provide mining exploration companies with the most reliable data necessary to advance their projects. Géosig is made up of a team of professionals, engineers, geologists, geophysicists,

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computer scientists, and highly qualified specialized

Géosig's strength also lies in the versatility and adaptability

technicians, who have, over the years, developed solid

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industry geophysical expertise. The company's reputation

heart of the Taïga, territory of Eeyou Istchee St. James Bay,

has been built on exemplary intellectual thoroughness

and even in the isolated and arid terrain of Nunavik or Côte-

demonstrated by the team in all stages of data acquisition and processing. The range of geophysical methods available

Nord. Our teams know how to adapt to different climate conditions and use their skills and abilities to carry out the

to customers is wide and includes, but is not limited to:

geophysical campaign optimally.

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To better meet the needs of mining companies, Géosig

• Induced polarization surveys (pole-dipole; dipole-dipole;

to better identify the potential of existing reserves. Thus,

gradient; electrical soundings; resistivity; grounding) • Electromagnetic surveys ‘MaxMin’

also offers geological studies on their properties in order whether it is the geoscientific compilation of the region, cartography, supervision of drilling, or reserve calculations, Géosig can help each client to better assess their portfolio

• Seismic surveys

and thus optimize their future work.

• Magnetometry and/or gradiometry surveys

Strong and proud with more than 40 years of activity,

54 Mining North of 60 | 2022

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GEOPHYSICAL METHODS Gravity - Nanogravity - Radiometry Induced and Spontaneous Polarization E.M. Deep-Pulse, Max-Min and TDEM Seismic Refraction and Reflection Resistivity and Very Low Frequency (VLF) Magnetometry and Gradiometry

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Geoscientific compilation Drilling supervision Calculation of reserves

GEOMATICS Digital mapping, spatial georeferencing Multi-layers superposition 2022 | Mining North of 60

55

Nuna Group of Companies

Meeting the challenge since 1993

E

stablished in 1993, Nuna Logistics (Nuna) is a federally registered heavy civil earthworks and mining contractor with a proven 27-plus-year track record of safely completing projects under budget and ahead of schedule for many domestic and international clients.

Mary River quarry work.

PHOTO BY DARKO FILIPIC.

56 Mining North of 60 | 2022

Nuna is a majority Inuit-owned company whose ownership comprises of 51 per cent Kitikmeot Corporation, the business development arm of the Kitikmeot Inuit Association; and 49 per cent North American Construction Group Ltd. Nuna is currently the largest Inuit-owned heavy civil contractor in Canada.

Mary River excavator.

PHOTO BY SHELDON PHILLIPS.

Early on, Nuna’s primary focus was on the emerging Canadian diamond industry north of 60th parallel. Since then, the company has contributed to the construction and operational success of many of mining and exploration projects in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, several of which they are still active on

today. Nuna’s pride in their northern experience and the employment opportunities they have been able to provide as the company has grown is clearly evident. Looking to the future, Nuna is excited about the opportunities north of 60 and continuing to support their clients in developing projects in the region.

Nuna has continued their firm commitment to Indigenous employment across all their projects as they execute construction, mining, and mine remediation services within other regions of Canada, such as Saskatchewan and Ontario.

Nuna has developed several successful joint ventures with Inuit, First Nation, and Métis businesses across Canada. a strategic team that is instrumental

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Nuna has developed several successful joint ventures with Inuit, First Nation, and Métis businesses across Canada. They establish effective partnerships that not only provide direct employment solutions, but create opportunities to engage local partner businesses and services as they collectively and competitively bid on a variety of projects in their partners’ areas.

Nuna has a long history of offering training solutions that promote industrial knowledge and provide hands-on experience to enhance local skills and tackle today’s industrial challenges. Their training experience has focused on classroom, heavy equipment simulator, and field-based training activities customized to Nuna’s and their clients’ local safety and operating procedures.

Nuna’s experienced team of construction professionals are highly knowledgeable and skilled in handling the array of challenges associated with working on remote construction and mine development projects that lack supporting infrastructure.

Their 27-plus-year track record of safe, successful, large-scale project delivery has enabled them to develop

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2022 | Mining North of 60

57

Bringing Arctic mine remediation to the community classroom Edited from an article by Guillaume Nielsen, Yukon University

In Eliza Van Bibber School classroom.

T

he Yukon’s mining industry has been an important part of the Yukon economy since the Klondike Gold Rush 125 years ago. Whether or not a mining operation would leave behind a legacy of damage was not part of the planning for mines in days past, and the Yukon and NWT have been left with many legacy projects that pose serious threats to public health and the environment. The mining industry in the Arctic today recognizes

58 Mining North of 60 | 2022

the need for remediation planning at all stages of a mine’s life, along with the need to engage with Indigenous communities that have been impacted by mines.

The newly established Yukon University shares the commitment for remediation planning at all stages of a mine’s life, along with the need to engage with mine-impacted Indigenous communities. YukonU is committed to working with

Indigenous communities and building partnerships to support research that may be applied in a practical context.

YukonU hosts a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Chair for Colleges (IRCC) in Northern Mine Remediation (NMR). This research program partners with all Yukon’s active mines and focuses on solving environmental challenges the mining industry faces in the north.

In the field with Nacho Nyak Dun students - Keno Hill mine, 2016.

The program focuses on water treatment by passive or semipassive technologies, mine waste management, and mine revegetation.

In order to introduce the research program to First Nation communities and build impactful research projects, workshops were held for First Nation summer students, youth, and environmental teams multiple times each summer between 2018 and 2020. The workshops were handson and visually based, focusing on the mine life cycle, as well as mine contamination and solutions to mine contamination. The workshops included experiments performed in the classroom, which helped students explore acid mine drainage, toxicity,

and the difference between active and passive water treatment. Some of these workshops were followed by mine site tours with the support of partnering mining companies.

Following one of the workshops presented in the Selkirk First Nation community of Pelly Crossing, a teacher at the community’s Eliza Van Bibber School suggested that the team develop a course that could be offered as part of the science program for the school’s high school students.

With the school’s support and in partnership with Minto Explorations Ltd., the research program team developed a course that highlights the importance of what is referred

to as “passive treatment”. Passive treatment systems rely on mother nature to provide the means of treating contaminants, with enhancements added to allow mother nature to work better. Passive systems are important for the north because non-passive systems require technologies that may require ongoing operation and maintenance attention, including the need for power supply.

The course became part of the credited curriculum offered to students through the Science for Citizens 11 course. The course was built around a class-based experiment where students constructed a small passive-waste treatment system that used Yukon native bacteria and mine2022 | Mining North of 60

59

Selkirk First Nation students visiting Minto Mine.

impacted water from the Minto Mine near the community of Pelly Crossing.

Sampling, monitoring, and discussing heavy metals removal rates were part of each module.

Guest speakers were an added benefit to the course, and they presented information on Arctic research projects, including the impacts of climate on northern mine remediation.

Discussions took place around how potentially affected First Nations and communities imagine mine revegetation success in the North.

The course lectures were also designed to present different career paths available in the environmental monitoring field, including a presentation from a Na-Cho Nyak Dun citizen working as an environmental technician at Eagle Gold mine (200 kilometres north of Pelly Crossing) who discussed what she had to do to

60 Mining North of 60 | 2022

qualify for the position she has.

Students also heard from a Minto Mine environmental officer who spoke about the different groundwater and surface water monitoring techniques and the science behind the mine’s set-up. To explore educational opportunities available to students to prepare them for such careers, students were introduced to the Environmental Monitoring Program at YukonU and this was complemented by a tour of the research lab to introduce students to laboratory equipment.

The students also explored why involving First Nation communities in research projects is important.

This discussion was led by a Selkirk First Nation citizen working at YukonU as a First Nation engagement advisor. Another lecture detailed the exploration-to-development process

at Minto Mine to teach students more about the operations at a working mine. Finally, to come back to passive treatment system, a module focused on Minto Mine’s constructed wetland treatment system and its role in postclosure reclamation of the site.

The focus of the course on remediation and restoration, in alignment with the focus of the Northern Mine Remediation research program, has provided a pathway for building relationship with students at the Eliza Van Bibber School.

Both remediation and restoration are relevant to students, emerging areas of interest for the industry, and support advancement of research tools and outcomes that are impactful in the Yukon.

Reprinted with permission from the NTWWA Journal, Ken Johnson, editor. 8

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Corporation Métaux Précieux du Québec en route vers la découverte de la prochaine mine d’or à la Baie-James Québec Precious Metals Corporation progressing well to find the next gold mine in James Bay, Québec

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Judy L. Corley Consulting.............................................................53

Apex Diamond Drilling Ltd............................................................8

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Aurora College...............................................................................51

LJL Mecanique...............................................................................23

Aurora Manufacturing............................................................... IFC

Lynden Incorporated.......................................................................7

Avier Group...................................................................................47

Major Reclaim Corp.......................................................................17

BAT Construction Ltd......................................................................9

NAPEG...........................................................................................16

Bureau Veritas Commodities Canada Ltd....................................57

Northern Foodservices..................................................................35

CanDig Mini Excavators................................................................33

Northwest Territories Power Corporation.....................................9

Capital Helicopters........................................................................33

Nuna Logistics Partnership...........................................................37

Cascom...........................................................................................39

Nunavut Human Rights Tribunal............................................ OBC

CMC Metals Ltd............................................................................43

Octant Aviation Inc........................................................................13

Desgagnes Transarcktik...................................................................3

PDAC..............................................................................................25

Fireweed Helicopters.......................................................................5

Poison Graphics...............................................................................9

Foundex Explorations....................................................................23

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Government of the Northwest Territories.....................................4

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The Nunavut Human Rights Act protects our right to live free from discrimination and prejudice based on personal characteristics such as race, colour, ancestry, ethnic origin, citizenship, place of origin, creed, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, income, pardoned conviction and lawful source of income.

ᑲᒪᒋᔭᐅᑦᑎᐊᖏᓐᓂᑰᒍᕕᑦ, ᑎᑎᖅᑲᓕᐅᕈᓐᓇᕐᐳᑎᑦ ᑐᓴᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᖄᓚᕕᐅᓗᑕ ᐅᕗᖓ:

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Tapkuat Nunavunmi Inungnut Pitqutigiyauyunut Ihuaqhaiyiit Piquyat haputihimayai piyungnautivut inuuniqmik ihuinaqtauttailiniqmun aalagiyauniqmutlu piplugit inmigut qanugittunivut tahapkuatut humingaqnivut, taqhavut, hivuligaluavut, nunaligiyavut, huminganiviniqut, maligavut, ukpiqnivut, ukiuquqtunivut, pimmalutivut, aqnaunivut angutaunivut, aqnaqniaqnivut angutihiuqnivut, aipaqaqnivut qanugitni, hingainivut, maniktaqnivut, hugiyauhuiqni ihuinaqnivut maligaqniklu pihimanivut manikhauhiqnut.

La Loi sur les droits de la personne du Nunavut protège notre droit de vivre sans faire l’objet de discrimation et de préjugés fondés sur des caractéristiques personnelles telles que la race, la couleur, l’origine ancestrale, l’origine ethnique, la citoyenneté, les croyances, la religion, l’âge, l’invalidité, le sexe, l’orientation sexuelle, la situation de famille, la grossesse, le revenu, l’état de personne réhabilitée et la source de revenus légitime.

Ihuinaqtauhimaniguvit, tunihilaqtutit tuhaqhityutmik tugaqvigiluta talvani:

Si vous avez fait l’objet d’un traitement injuste, vous pouvez déposer une notification en communiquant avec nous à :

1866413-6478 1888220-1011 www.nhrt.ca 

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