Dreaming of Development: Mining in Northern Labrador
The past two years have been turbulent for the indigenous
inhabitants of Labrador, to say the least. The recent discovery of what is
being called the largest nickel find in the world led to an unprecedented
Klondike rush in the far north of Eastern North America. As of last summer,
over 220,000 square kilometers of mineral claims were held by over 200
companies from around the world. By now, after two years of intensive
exploration, many of these companies are packing up and going home empty
handed. But what is scaring the Innu and Inuit, is the idea that some
may not -- leading to the development of the one of the world's last
prestigious wild regions.
In wake of the great rush to find the next 'Voisey Bay', over
100,000 three inch holes have been left (essentially small tailings
ponds), numerous abandoned camps, oil leaks, archaeological site
intrusions and the impact of thousands of helicopter flights on the
landscape of the boreal woodlands. Neither the Innu nor the Inuit
nations were consulted before their land was invaded by hundreds of
multinational mining companies; seldom are they told of new camps and
activities, seldom are the camps and outposts cleaned up (leading to
unreported fuel contamination of once pristine lakes and ponds) and seldom
are they respected in their requests for notification and for responsible
behavior towards their homeland.
Fortunately, the majority of the claims do not seem to be panning
out, which will probably lead to the termination of thousands of claims.
Nevertheless, the question of accountability for the ecological impacts of
exploration activity remains unanswered:. Once a company's claim is
terminated, is the government of Newfoundland to be held accountable for
the mess and subsequent cleanup? One would hope so. Yet, incredibly,
during inspection tours of a small number of exploration sites, the
Newfoundland representative was apparently only interested in the question
of the Innu Nations accountability for the clean up of Innu hunting camps.
After Voisey Bay: Other Discoveries
There are a few areas, besides Voisey Bay, that are looking as if
all they need is some infrastructure development to get them up and
running:
%The Strange lake area on the Quebec-Labrador border west of Voisey
Bay: It is said to hold deposits of Zirconium, Niobium, Yttrium, and other
rare earth elements. These deposits have been known for about a decade,
but have been uneconomic given the enormous infrastructure development
costs that would be required.
%Another area of extreme interest is the Harp Lake area, about mid-
way between Voisey Bay and Goose Bay. This unusual lake has had as many as
six drilling camps on its shores, and is expected to start showing
significant finds next year. (Harp Lake, which has numerous cliffs used by
raptors for nesting, was determined to be a so-called sensitive area in
the low-level flying avoidance program.)
%Just South of Davis Inlet, in an area known as Flowers Bay to the
mapmakers, a company may have found gold. (Flowers Bay is one of the four
major river systems in Central labrador said to be absolutely critical to
the survival of the Atlantic Harlequin Duck.)
%North of the Voisey Bay deposit are a number of exploration sites. In
fact, the focus of the current frenzy is happening north of Nain and the
Frasier River, where the southern boundary for the proposed Torngat
National Park meanders from the sea to the Naskapi plateau. Frasier
Canyon, Okak Bay, and Saglek Bay are presently undergoing intensive drill
programs, with as many as six camps operating around the clock in search
of "the next Voisey Bay".
If you build it, they will come
The flurry of activity and the possibility of other mineral
deposits have suggested the surreal idea of a developed Labrador.
Numerous development proposals have surfaced, in which the 'displaced
Labradorian' finds a new purpose in the Northland. Start-up companies
eager for a piece of the action have offered their services in the areas
of exploration, engineering, construction; new hotel are under
construction and new bars have opened in Nain. A number of Chamber of
Commerces (mainly from southern Labrador hard hit by the collapse of the
cod fishery) have issued reports describing the benefits of settling and
building in their towns. Some have even hired consultants and/or companies
to draft proposals for centralized development, including a road from
Goose Bay to Voisey Bay, the completion of the trans-Labrador Highway, and
a hyro-electric dam of the Falls of the Kamistastin, headwaters to Cabot
Lake, the Kogluk River and Voisey Bay.
So far, it seems as if these dream proposals are just that,
dreams. But, as exploration activities advance, thereby becoming more
viable projects, these dreams creep insidiously from the ethereal into
the realm of the possible. --John Clark [John Clark recently travelled to
Voisey Bay with John "Storm" Waters from the Cold Mountain/Cold Rivers
Guerilla Video Collective.]
From Nitassinan News
The Friends of Nitassinan is an international support group for the Innu
people of the Quebec-Labrador peninsula (Nitassinan), in their struggles
to defend their homeland from indistrial intrusions.
The Nitassinan news is produced by Alexis Lathem and John Clark.
The Friends of Nitassinan would like to thank the Haymarket People's Fund,
the Ben & Jerry's Foundation, the Human-i-tees Foundation, and the Green
Mountain Fund.
For more information contact:
Innu Nation
POB 119
Sheshatsiu, Labrador
A0P 1M0 Canada
709-497-8398 fax: 8396
email: innu@web.apc.org
Katie Rich, Band Council Chief
General Delivery
Davis Inlet, Labrador
709-478-8902 fax: 8936
Friends of Nitassinan
POB 804
Burlington VT 05402
ph/fax: 802-425-3820
Information transferred via--
Native Forest Network (NFN)
Eastern North American Resource Center
POB 57
Burlington, VT 05402 USA
Telephone: (802)863-0571
Fax: (802)863-2532
Email: nfnena@igc.apc.org