The City of Yellowknife says two community workshops later in November will explore the future of gold mining in the area.
While the NWT’s diamond mines are in distress over issues like tariffs and lab-grown rivals, gold prices have soared lately.
At least one gold mining firm hopes to restart mining in the next year – Sixty North, owner of Mon Mine north of Yellowknife.
But gold mining also has a toxic legacy in and around Yellowknife thanks to the health impacts of Giant Mine, which is now a $4-billion federally led remediation project.
In a press release, the city said this month’s workshops “will bring together community members, Elders, Indigenous governments, regulators, industry representatives, and local leaders to share knowledge about mining practices today, what improvements have occurred, and what concerns remain.”
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“Participants will hear from experts, reflect on historical context, and examine what responsible gold mining practices entail,” the city added.
The workshops take place from 8am-5pm on Saturday, November 22 at City Hall and from 8am-5pm on Monday, November 24 at Dettah’s Chief Drygeese Centre.
They will be facilitated by Det’on Cho Environmental.
The City Hall session will be livestreamed. Both the City Hall and Dettah sessions will be recorded so they can be viewed afterward.
To register for the City Hall session, use this link. Yellowknives Dene First Nation members can register for the Dettah session by emailing Natisha Drygeese.
