Commodities demand revive arctic port plan

YELLOWKNIFE — A handful of mining companies have thrown a lifeline to a plan to build a deep-water Artic port and ice road artery.

According to Canadian Press, rising commodity prices has inspired some of Canada’s largest firms to reinvigorate the idea by pledging to help finance the $135 million project.

Charlie Lyall, president of Kitikmeot Corp., an Inuit-owned group that originally filed a proposal to build the port in 2002 said he’s much more hopeful of the plan “than I was a year ago.”

The port would have the capacity for 25,000-tonne ice-class vessels and includes a 1,200-metre airstrip and a 211-km all-weather road south to mineral-rich territory in northern Canada.

“We’re looking at (the port and road) as a key piece of our logistical puzzle,” said Abraham Drost, president of Sabina Silver, which owns a 47-million tonne deposit of silver, zinc, lead, copper and gold at Hackett River.

The mines currently truck in supplies on an ice road from Yellowknife and fly out their production. However, the future of the new ice road is uncertain as the area adapts to climate change shifts.

— from Canadian Press