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The start-up of a mine is a lengthy and laborious
process which is always preceded by a number of stages, including exploration,
of course. There are various levels of exploration, comprising
initial exploration (from the earliest drilling to discovery of the ore),
more thorough exploration (second drilling program and evaluation of the
ore reserves present) and finally advanced exploration (preliminary market
study, operating costs, production costs and so on). Each of these stages
has as its precondition the results obtained in the preceding analyses,
with the feasibility studies being the most advanced exploration phases,
just before the development stage.
Nunavut is seen as a favourable region for investment in mineral exploration.
Within Nunavut are a number of projects which have completed the very
expensive second drilling phase. The mining industry must therefore be
perceived as a new industry in Nunavut, with promising assessments for
the exploitation of certain minerals, such as gold and diamonds, in the
volcanic and metamorphic rocks of the Canadian Shield. |
