{{Short description|Zinc mine in Nunavut, Canada}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox mine | name = Polaris Mine | image = | width = | caption = | pushpin_map = Canada Nunavut | pushpin_label = Polaris mine | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Canada | coordinates = {{coord|75|23|40|N|096|52|50|W|region:CA-NU|notes=<ref>{{Cite cgndb|OAADR|Polaris Mine}}</ref>|display=inline,title}} | place = Little Cornwallis Island | subdivision_type = Island | state/province = [[Nunavut]] ([[Northwest Territories]]) | country = Canada | owner = [[Cominco]] | official website = | acquisition year = 1964 | stock_exchange = | stock_code = | products = Lead<br>Zinc | financial year =Life of mine | amount = 21,000,000 tonnes (ore) | opening year = 1981 | closing year = 2002 }} '''Polaris zinc mine''' was a former [[underground mining (hard rock)|underground mine]] on [[Little Cornwallis Island]] in the [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Canadian territory]] of [[Nunavut]] ([[Northwest Territories]] prior to Nunavut's official separation).<ref name=ValDorStar/> The [[zinc]] mine was located {{cvt|1120|km}} north of the [[Arctic Circle]], and {{cvt|96|km}} north of the community of [[Resolute, Nunavut|Resolute]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Chadwick|first=John |date= February 1, 1995|title=Exploration in permafrost. (underground zinc and lead mining in Little Cornwallis Island)|journal=Mining Magazine|pages=205–212|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-16640062.html}}</ref> It closed in July 2002 following more than twenty years of zinc production.<ref name="cbc">{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/polaris-mine-to-close-next-year-1.281416|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090928075624/http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2001/03/29/29polaris.html|url-status=live|archive-date=September 28, 2009|title=Polaris mine to close next year|date= March 29, 2001|publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]]|access-date=2009-08-28}}</ref>
==History== [[File:MVArcticFebruary2005.jpg|The [[MV Arctic]] hauled ore from the Polaris mine|thumb]] In 1964 [[Vancouver]]-based [[Cominco]] [[Option (finance)|optioned]] all the mineral claims in Canada's [[Arctic]] that were controlled by Bankeno Mines. [[Mining feasibility study|Mineral and economic assessments]] resulted in a 23 million ton reserve at a zinc grade of 14.1 per cent. Approval of the project was obtained in 1979, then [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]] [[Joe Clark]] waived environmental assessment hearings and pledged to ship half of the concentrate from the mine in the federally owned [[icebreaker]] [[MV Arctic]].<ref name="voyage">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yscRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_eYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5562,2179436&dq=polaris-mine|title=Long voyage to a cold mine called Polaris|last=Malcolm|first=Andrew|date=August 5, 1981|publisher=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|access-date=2009-08-28}}</ref> The entire [[mineral processing]] plant, power plant and workshop were built upon a barge and travelled {{cvt|5600|km}} from [[Quebec]] to the mine site. In 1981 the mine commenced production.<ref name="cleanup">{{cite news|url=http://www.nunatsiaq.com/archives/nunavut010531/nvt10511_04.html|title=Cominco plots clean-up of Polaris mine|last=Spitzer|first=Aaron|date=May 11, 2001|publisher=Nunatsiaq News|access-date=2009-08-28|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061114184139/http://www.nunatsiaq.com/archives/nunavut010531/nvt10511_04.html|archive-date=November 14, 2006}}</ref> The Polaris mine employed over 250 people. Although only 20 mine employees were from northern Canada, thirty percent of employment in Resolute was directly related to the mine.<ref name="end of the mine">{{cite news|url=http://www.nunatsiaq.com/archives/nunavut010531/nvt10518_08.html|title=Polaris: The end of the mine|last=Spitzer|first=Aaron|date=May 18, 2001|publisher=Nunatsiaq News|access-date=2009-08-28}}</ref>
==Production== The Polaris mine produced over 21 million tonnes of lead-zinc ore during the life of the mine, with a market value of over $1.5 billion. Concentrate from the mining operation was stored in a {{cvt|700|ft|order=flip}} long warehouse, which was the largest structure in Nunavut.<ref name="cleanup" />
==Closure== Initially the mine was scheduled to close in 2001, however due to improved mining techniques, the mine life was extended one year to 2002. [[Mine reclamation|Reclamation]] procedures following the closure of the Polaris mine set a new standard for [[mine closure]] in the territory of Nunavut. Reclamation of the mine site began while the mine was still operating, this work was planned to ensure it would not have an adverse effect on the mining operation (such as removal of unused buildings). Cominco intended to bury most of the buildings and materials in a nearby [[quarry]], with the [[permafrost]] preventing contamination. Cominco offered the staff accommodations to the [[Government of Canada|federal government]] for use as a [[penal colony]] on the island. Household items were offered to residents of nearby [[Inuit]] communities. Cleanup of the Polaris mine site took two years, with environmental monitoring until 2011.<ref name="cleanup" />
==See also== * [[Nanisivik Mine]]
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name=ValDorStar> {{cite news | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=720&dat=19880706&id=qwQxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5-EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2149,197881&hl=en | title = Background on Free Trade and the Canadian Mining Industry | publisher = [[Val d'or Star]] | date = 1988-07-06 | page = 19 | access-date = 2016-02-24 | quote = The Northwest Territories boast two of the world's most northerly mines; Polaris on Little Cornwallis Island and Nanisivik on Baffin Island. Both are Lead and Zinc mines. }} </ref> }}
[[Category:Zinc mines in Canada]] [[Category:Lead mines in Canada]] [[Category:Mines in Nunavut]] [[Category:Former mines in Canada]] [[Category:Former populated places in the Qikiqtaaluk Region]] [[Category:1981 establishments in the Northwest Territories]] [[Category:2002 disestablishments in Nunavut]]