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20TuesdayFebruary262013ByJACKDANYLCHUKTheNunavutImpactRe-viewBoardNIRBhassetthestageforpublichearingsthatwilldeterminehowandwhenminingcompaniestapvastmineraldepositsthatliebeneaththecalvinggroundsoftheBathurstcaribouherd.NunavutsshareoftheSlaveGeologicProvinceisarelativelyuntouchedtrovebutseveralnewminesareplannedfortheregiononceisolatedbydistanceandicethatisfastdisappearingfromArcticwaters.ThedevelopmentsarechallengingthecapacityofregulatorsandFirstNationstokeeppacealongwiththefutureofthestrugglingBathurstcaribouherdandcoulddiminishYellowknifesstatusasthesupplybaseforexplorationandminingintheWesternArctic.ThefederalgovernmentwilldecidesometimethisyearonarecommendationfromtheNIRBforafullpublicreviewofMMGRe-sourcesLtd.ssprawlingIzokLakeproject260kmsouthofKugluktuk.MMGasubsidiaryoftheChinesestate-ownedChinaMinmetalswantstobeginworkonthesiteinlate2014beforetheregulatoryprocessiscompleteandtheIzokproj-ectcouldbeproducingzinccopperandleadby2018.TheIzokprojectinvolvestwoseparateminesthatre-quiredrainingfourlakes350kmofroadstwoairstripscampsfor1100workersandaportatGraysBay180kmeastofKugluktukcapableNunavutportprojectachallengetoYellowknifeofberthingshipsof50000tonnes.WinterroadsalreadyreachintotheheartoftheregionandMMGwillusetheTibbett-Contwoytoiceroadtoferrysuppliesduringconstruction.Butwhentheminesareoper-atingMMGplanstorelypri-marilyontheportandtrans-portationnetworkofairstripsandroads.Anotherportthatcouldservetheregionhasbeenplannedformorethanade-cade.SabinaGoldandSilverboughtthemoribundBathurstInletportandroadprojectin2011tosupplyitsmineatBackRiver.EarlierthismonthNIRBsaidSabinaanditspartnerXzastraZinccouldpickupwheretheinquiryintotheBathurstportleftoffin2004butaskedtheproponentsforanupdatedproposalwithmoredetailonpotentialimpactsontheenvironment.MMGSabinaandXza-stracoulddecidetoshareaportassomeintervenerssuggestedtotheNIRB.TheportcouldalsosupplyfutureminesintheregionandtakebusinessfromYellowknife.TheNWTCanadianParksandWildernessSocietyques-tionedwhethertheIzokroadandportarefeasiblewithoutsupportfromotherminede-velopersintheregion.NinemineprojectsareproposedorunderreviewintheKitikmeotregionandcarrythepotentialforincreasedfragmentationoflargelyundisturbedcaribouhabitattheNIRBstatedinaDec.16lettertoJohnDun-canministerofAboriginalandNorthernDevelopmentCanada.TheNIRBbelievesthatthepotentialforcumula-tiveecosystemicandrelatedsocio-economiceffectsre-quirethoroughconsiderationtofullyunderstandtheim-plicationsofthisproposedproject.TheprojectmayhavesignicantadverseeffectsontheecosystemwildlifehabitatorInuitharvestingactivitiessocio-economiceffectsonNorthernersandinvolvestechnologicalinno-vationsforwhichtheeffectsareunknownPhillipKad-lumNIRBvice-chairmansaidinthelettertoDuncan.Morethan400individu-alsenvironmentaladvo-cacygroupsFirstNationsandgovernmentsregisteredconcernsabouttheproject.ManypointedoutthattheBathurstherdhasonlyre-centlystabilizedaftera90percentdropinpopulationoverthepast25years-ade-clinesteepenoughtocurtailhunting-andmanyfeartheminesmightdisruptrecovery.TheKitikmeotInuitAsso-ciationandNunavutgovern-mentalsocalledforareviewbutsupporttheprojectforitseconomicstimulusalthoughthesparsely-populatedregionwillbehardpressedtolltheanticipated1100constructionand710miningjobs.ThegovernmentoftheNorthwestTerritoriestoldtheNIRBitisparticularlyconcernedthattherecoveryofthecaribouherdmaybedelayednecessitatingexten-sionsonharvestrestrictionsintheNWTresultingincon-tinuedhardship.TheDeneNationLutselKeDeneandYellowknivesDenerejectedtheMMGprojectoutright.TheTlichowantsthehighestlevelofreviewandaseatonthere-viewboardandtheCanadianArcticResourceCommitteewantsastudyoftransporta-tionoptionsfortheregionbeforetheNIRBapprovesanyfurtherprojects.ByJACKDANYLCHUKAftersearchingforayeartondabuyerfortwomoth-balleddiamondfactoriestheterritorialgovernmentappearstobeinnorushtocompletethe1.9millionsaletoDeepakInternationalLtd.Aweekbeforeheem-barkedonadiamondfact-ndingmissiontoEuropeandAfricainJanuaryIn-dustryTourismandInvest-mentMinisterDavidRam-sayrevealedthatDeepakKumaraformerITIem-ployeewasnegotiatingtopurchasethetwobuildingsonwhatwasDiamondRowinYellowknife.AspartofthedealRam-saysaidDeepakInternationalLtd.wouldgetapprovedNWTdiamondmanufac-turerstatusgivingitaccesstoaportionof10percentofroughdiamondsminedintheterritoryanduseofthepolarbeartrademark.ButtheJan.31closingdateforthesaleoftheDiamondRowbuildingsthelatestinaseriesofmisseddead-linescameandwentwith-outwordfromKumarorthegovernment.KumardidnotreplytoemailedquestionsaboutthesalebutRamsaysofcesaidDeepakInternationalisbusysecuringspecialtyequipmentrecruitingpersonnelwork-ingonroughdiamondsup-plycontractsanddevelopingmarketinganddistributionchannels.EvertBothawhosefathertaughtdiamondcuttingandpolishingatAuroraCollegeinYellowknifeforsevenyearsalsolookedatthetwoDiamondRowproperties.TheBothafam-ilyoperatesadiamondmanu-facturingplantinPrinceAlbertandconsideredexpandingtheirbusinesstotheNWT.MyfatherandmotherlivedsevenyearsinYellow-knifeandenjoyedtheexperi-enceBothasaidinaJournalinterview.Butitisjusttooexpensivetooperatethere.Everythingcostsmorehous-ingtransportation.Forthosereasonswedidnotmakeanofferonthebuildings.KumararrivedinCanadafromIndiain2003andset-tledinBehchokowherehehelddownthreejobswhilelookingforlargeropportu-nities.In2006hemovedtoEdmontonandbeganexport-ingcutandpolishedCanadiandiamondstobuyersinAsia.KumarsaidthatinIndiahisfamilyhasbeeninthediamondandjewelrybusi-nessformanygenerationswithoutin-depthunderstand-ingtechnicalknow-howandexperienceitisimpossibletobesuccessfulinthisverycomplexbusiness.Iamaself-madesuccessstoryoftheNWTKumarsaidinanemailafterRam-saysannouncement.WhileIwasworkingmanyjobsroundtheclockIneverlostmyfocusonmydreamtostartmyownCanadiandiamondbusinessandassoonasIhadalittlecapitalsavedItotallyleftthejobsandstartedmybusiness.AlthoughtheterritorialgovernmenthasabroadarrayofprogramsthatcouldhelpacompanylikeDeepakIn-ternationalKumarsaidthatwithouroperationnotevenasinglepennyoftaxpayersmoneyisonthelineinanymanner.IalwaysthoughtthatIcoulddothingsdifferentlyandwhenin2011theGNWTwasadvertisingtheopportu-nityIdecidedtoconsideritandhereweareatthebegin-ningofanexcitingjourneyKumarsaidinanemail.LookingbackitsalongjourneythatstartedinthesmallcommunityofNWTRae-EdzobysellingGNWT-certieddiamondsonlinewhichledtowhole-saledistributionandinafairlyshorttimewehavegrownfromtheArctictotheGreatWallofChinaKumarsaid.DeepakInternationalLtd.willundoubtedlyplayanim-portantroleinthecontinueddevelopmentoftheCana-diandiamondindustry.Myvisionistocreateaglobalfootprintforpolarbearbranddiamondshesaid.YellowknifediamondrowfactorydealstillnoticedIndustryDiamondsIndustryMiningImageNWTNunavutChamberofMinesNorthwestTerritoriesandNunavutMineralExplorationProjects2012