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The NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines
The voice of the Northern mi exploration industry Written by: Robert Spence
Produced by: Aaron Wells
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THE NWT & NUNAVUT CHAMBER OF MINES The NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines is leading the charge for responsible mining operations in Canada’s Northwest Territories and Nunavut as well as providing socioeconomic, community and safety commitments Located in Canada’s North, the NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines is the voice of the Northern mining and exploration industry. Since 1967, the association has served companies operating in the NWT and Nunavut, supporting and leading the way for responsible and sustainable mineral exploration and development in the region. The Chamber of Mines acts as the point of contact for the NWT and Nunavut mining industry. The organization researches current issues, arranges meetings, and assists in organizing special events, including the annual Geoscience Forum, theNunavut Mining Symposium, NWT Mining Week, and the Chamber’s Annual General Meeting. As a result, the Chamber of Mines is leading the charge for responsible mining operations in northern Canada as well as providing socio4
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economic, community and safety commitments. Membership The mining industry has been instrumental for the economy of the NWT and Nunavut. It has, and continues, to provide significant training, employment and business opportunities as well as contributing infrastructure to each territory. The Chamber of Mines is comprised of over 500 influential individuals and companies including some of the biggest names in the mining industry. Members of the organization include producing mines, exploration companies, a variety of service and supply companies including drilling and aviation firms, expediters, prospectors and a wide range of consultants. The Chamber offers members privileged connections to the growing mineral sectors. Being a member of the Chamber of Mines provides a wealth of benefits. According to the association’s website, “membership in the Chamber allows you to keep tabs on what is going on in the mineral industry. The Chamber
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publishes monthly newsletters and also emails news items to members. If you are engaged in any business in the North, you need to know what’s going on in mining and exploration or you’ll miss out on some exciting opportunities. All northern business, no matter how big or small, or what your focus, is directly or indirectly tied to a healthy and vibrant mining industry, something the Chamber of Mines promotes every day. Socio-economic, community and safety commitments
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The Chamber of Mines actively works to improve the health, safety and environment of the Canadian mining industry through collaboration. The organization has cultivated a group of individuals and companies to lead its Northern Mine Safety Forum (NMSF) in sharing health, safety and environment (HSE) best practices and lessons, cooperating with members on common health and safety challenges, and engaging with external stakeholders on common industry issues.
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According to their website, “the group is underpinned by the common understand that HSE sharing is for the greater benefit of everyone in the forum i.e. keeping our coworkers safe).” The NMSF supports this objective through numerous initiatives which have been agreed upon by the signatories of the Memorandum of Understanding . This includes participating and contributing to regular group meetings, conference calls and actions/updates agreed by the group between meetings; maintaining a professional level
of courtesy and respect towards members of the group and guests; treating information shared by participants as confidential; and using information shared by participants in the forum only with the intent of improving HSE. The NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines also works to assist the industry in developing its most profitable assets. As of 2012, there are five operating mines in NWT and Nunavut - The Ekati, Diavik and Snap Lake diamond mines, the Cantung mine which produces tungsten, and Nunavut’s first w w w. m i n i n g n o r t h . c o m
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gold mine in several years, the Meadowbank mine. The goal of NWT and Nunavut’s resource exploration industry is to complete diamond drilling programs as quickly and cost effective as possible due to the huge cost around diamond drilling in the North. To assist, the Chamber launched its own 8
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workshop to provide valuable information and knowledge to the industry. According to their website, “The “Alternative Diamond Drilling in Permafrost/Arctic Conditions” workshop was hosted by the Chamber of Mines in Toronto in 2013. This innovative program focused on issues and
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challenges to drilling for resources in the Arctic. The workshop brought together experts in the diamond drilling industry with direct experience operating in the North. The goal was to discuss the latest innovations around operating in Arctic conditions, and possibly derive new ideas for piloting and/or testing these technologies.� With the NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines at the helm, the mining industry in Canada has a bright and supportive future ahead of itself.
The NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines, which continues to serve companies operating in the NWT and Nunavut, has been the voice of the Northern mining and exploration industry since 1967. Its goals are to promote the industry and the North to Northerners, Canadians, and the world at large. It continues to speak out on industry opportunities, concerns and issues. It advises governments, investors, the media, educational institutions, and the public on industry positions and initiatives.
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NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines PO Box 2818 Suite103, 5102 50 Ave Yellowknife, NT X1A 2R1 Tel: (867) 873-5281 Fax: (780) 669-5681 www.miningnorth.com