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Nunavut diamonds: North Arrow Minerals takes 2,000-tonne bulk sample from Naujaat project

North Arrow Minerals mobilized at the Naujaat Diamond Project site over the summer to collect a 2,000-tonne bulk sample.
Derek Neary

North Arrow Minerals mobilized at the Naujaat Diamond Project site over the summer to collect a 2,000-tonne bulk sample.

The analysis will help determine whether fancy yellow to orange yellow diamonds present at the site are worth mining.

The laydown site for the samples is less than 10 kilometres from the community of Naujaat. From there, the ore samples will be loaded to be sealifted south for analysis.

White bags filled with ore – 2,500 of them in total – dotted the landscape at the Naujaat project this summer as North Arrow Minerals further examines the potential of the Q1-4 kimberlite. Photo courtesy of North Arrow Mineralsᖃᐅᓪᓗᖅᑕᖅ ᐴᑦ ᑕᑖᖅᑐᑦ ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃᓴᒥ – 2,500–ᖑᔪᑦ ᑲᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ– ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᕗᑦ ᓄᓇᒥ ᓇᐅᔮᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᐅᔪᒥ ᑕᒪᑐᒪᓂ ᐊᐅᔭᐅᔪᒥ North Arrow Minerals ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐱᑕᖃᑐᐃᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂ Q1-4 ᑕᐃᒪᓐ ᐃᓂᒋᒐᔪᒃᑖᓂ.
White bags filled with ore – 2,500 of them in total – dotted the landscape at the Naujaat project this summer as North Arrow Minerals further examines the potential of the Q1-4 kimberlite. Photo courtesy of North Arrow Minerals
ᖃᐅᓪᓗᖅᑕᖅ ᐴᑦ ᑕᑖᖅᑐᑦ ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃᓴᒥ – 2,500–ᖑᔪᑦ ᑲᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ– ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᕗᑦ ᓄᓇᒥ ᓇᐅᔮᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᐅᔪᒥ ᑕᒪᑐᒪᓂ ᐊᐅᔭᐅᔪᒥ North Arrow Minerals ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐱᑕᖃᑐᐃᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂ Q1-4 ᑕᐃᒪᓐ ᐃᓂᒋᒐᔪᒃᑖᓂ.

North Arrow Minerals’ president, CEO and pit sampler Ken Armstrong gets up close and personal with the mineralogy of Q1-4 kimberlite. Photo courtesy of North Arrow MineralsNorth Arrow Minerals’ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖓ, ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᔨᒻᒪᕆᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐆᒃᑐᕋᖅᑎᐅᔪᖅ ᑭᐊᓐ ᐋᒻᔅᑐᕌᖕ ᖃᓂᒡᓕᑦᑎᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᒐᒃᓴᒥ Q1-4 ᑕᐃᒪᓐ ᐃᓂᒋᒐᔪᒃᑖᓂ.
North Arrow Minerals’ president, CEO and pit sampler Ken Armstrong gets up close and personal with the mineralogy of Q1-4 kimberlite. Photo courtesy of North Arrow Minerals
North Arrow Minerals’ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖓ, ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᔨᒻᒪᕆᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐆᒃᑐᕋᖅᑎᐅᔪᖅ ᑭᐊᓐ ᐋᒻᔅᑐᕌᖕ ᖃᓂᒡᓕᑦᑎᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᒐᒃᓴᒥ Q1-4 ᑕᐃᒪᓐ ᐃᓂᒋᒐᔪᒃᑖᓂ.

The sampling crew celebrate the last bag from the Q1-4 kimberlite 2,000-tonne bulk sample at the Naujaat project. From left, Dennis Quanaq, Geroge Putilik, Alicia Cannata, Jeremy Itqiliq, John Kadjuk, Dan Gainer, David Kadjuk, Terry Godfrey, Kenneth Katokra, Keith Feltham and Barney Siutinaur. Photo courtesy of North Arrow Mineralsᐆᒃᑐᕋᖅᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔩᑦ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒍᑎᖃᖅᐳᑦ ᑭᖑᓪᓕᖅᐹᖓᓂ ᐴᖑᔪᒥ Q1-4 ᑕᐃᒪᓐ ᐃᓂᒋᒐᔪᒃᑖᓂ 2,000-ᑕᓐᓂ ᐃᓕᒃᑯᐊᒥ ᐆᒃᑐᒐᕐᓴᐅᔪᒥ ᓇᐅᔮᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᐅᔪᒥ. ᓴᐅᒥᖕᒥ, ᑕᓂᔅ ᖃᐅᓐᓇᖅ, ᔪᐊᔾ ᐳᑐᓕᒃ, ᐊᓖᓴ ᑲᓐᓇᑕ, ᔨᐊᕋᒥ ᐃᑦᑭᓕᒃ, ᔮᓐ ᑲᑦᔪᒃ, ᑖᓐ ᒐᐃᓄᕐ, ᑕᐃᕕᑦ ᑲᑦᔪᒃ, ᑎᐊᕆ ᒑᑦᕗᕆ, ᑲᓇᑦ ᑲᑐᖅᑲ, ᑮᑦ ᕕᐅᓪᑦᕼᐊᒻ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐹᓂ ᓯᐅᑎᓐᓄᐊᕐ.
The sampling crew celebrate the last bag from the Q1-4 kimberlite 2,000-tonne bulk sample at the Naujaat project. From left, Dennis Quanaq, Geroge Putilik, Alicia Cannata, Jeremy Itqiliq, John Kadjuk, Dan Gainer, David Kadjuk, Terry Godfrey, Kenneth Katokra, Keith Feltham and Barney Siutinaur. Photo courtesy of North Arrow Minerals
ᐆᒃᑐᕋᖅᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔩᑦ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒍᑎᖃᖅᐳᑦ ᑭᖑᓪᓕᖅᐹᖓᓂ ᐴᖑᔪᒥ Q1-4 ᑕᐃᒪᓐ ᐃᓂᒋᒐᔪᒃᑖᓂ 2,000-ᑕᓐᓂ ᐃᓕᒃᑯᐊᒥ ᐆᒃᑐᒐᕐᓴᐅᔪᒥ ᓇᐅᔮᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᐅᔪᒥ. ᓴᐅᒥᖕᒥ, ᑕᓂᔅ ᖃᐅᓐᓇᖅ, ᔪᐊᔾ ᐳᑐᓕᒃ, ᐊᓖᓴ ᑲᓐᓇᑕ, ᔨᐊᕋᒥ ᐃᑦᑭᓕᒃ, ᔮᓐ ᑲᑦᔪᒃ, ᑖᓐ ᒐᐃᓄᕐ, ᑕᐃᕕᑦ ᑲᑦᔪᒃ, ᑎᐊᕆ ᒑᑦᕗᕆ, ᑲᓇᑦ ᑲᑐᖅᑲ, ᑮᑦ ᕕᐅᓪᑦᕼᐊᒻ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐹᓂ ᓯᐅᑎᓐᓄᐊᕐ.

ᒪᕐᕉᒃ North Arrow–ᑯᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᐅᔪᑦ, ᓖ ᐋᓐ ᑐᖏᓕᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᔮᓐ ᑲᑦᔪᒃ, ᐱᓕᕆᕗᑦ ᓯᑎᐱᕆᒥ ᖃᓐᓂᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑭᕕᒃᑕᐅᒻᒥ ᐊᖁᑎᒥᒃ Desgagn–s Transarctik Inc.–ᑯᓐᓂ ᐅᓯᓕᐅᔾᔨᓂᖏᓐᓂ ᐆᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂ ᐴᕐᓂ ᓯᑲᐅᒧᑦ ᐅᓯᔭᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂ ᐅᒥᐊᕐᔪᐊᒃᑯᑦ.Two of North Arrow’s local employees, Lee Ann Tungilik and John Kadjuk, work through a September snowfall helping a forklift operator from Desgagnés Transarctik Inc. load sample bags onto a barge to be towed out with sealift. Photo courtesy of North Arrow Minerals
ᒪᕐᕉᒃ North Arrow–ᑯᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᐅᔪᑦ, ᓖ ᐋᓐ ᑐᖏᓕᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᔮᓐ ᑲᑦᔪᒃ, ᐱᓕᕆᕗᑦ ᓯᑎᐱᕆᒥ ᖃᓐᓂᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑭᕕᒃᑕᐅᒻᒥ ᐊᖁᑎᒥᒃ Desgagn–s Transarctik Inc.–ᑯᓐᓂ ᐅᓯᓕᐅᔾᔨᓂᖏᓐᓂ ᐆᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂ ᐴᕐᓂ ᓯᑲᐅᒧᑦ ᐅᓯᔭᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂ ᐅᒥᐊᕐᔪᐊᒃᑯᑦ.
Two of North Arrow’s local employees, Lee Ann Tungilik and John Kadjuk, work through a September snowfall helping a forklift operator from Desgagnés Transarctik Inc. load sample bags onto a barge to be towed out with sealift. Photo courtesy of North Arrow Minerals

ᐊᑕᐅᓯᖅ ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓂ ᖁᓕᒥᒎᓕᖕᓂ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᔪᓂ ᑭᕕᒃᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᒃᑯᐊᓂ ᐆᒃᑑᑎᑦᓴᓂ ᐴᕐᓂ ᐃᓂᒋᔭᖓᓄᑦ ᐆᒃᑐᕋᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᕐᕕᖓᓂ. ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓂ ᖁᓕᒥᒎᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᖅᑎᑦᑎᕗᖅ ᐆᒃᑐᕋᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᒥ ᐱᔭᕇᑦᑎᐊᒐᓚᖕᓂᕐᒥ ᐋᒍᔅᑎᙳᓚᐅᙱᓐᓂᖓᓂ, ᑕᒪᕐᒥᒐᓚᐃᑦ ᑐᒃᑐᐃᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᑉᐸᓪᓕᐊᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓂᐅᔪᒥ.One of two helicopters used to sling bulk sample bags to the laydown area from the sample pits. Having two helicopters allowed the sampling program to be mostly complete before August, when the majority of the caribou start showing up in the area. Photo courtesy of Dave Pickston
ᐊᑕᐅᓯᖅ ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓂ ᖁᓕᒥᒎᓕᖕᓂ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᔪᓂ ᑭᕕᒃᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᒃᑯᐊᓂ ᐆᒃᑑᑎᑦᓴᓂ ᐴᕐᓂ ᐃᓂᒋᔭᖓᓄᑦ ᐆᒃᑐᕋᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᕐᕕᖓᓂ. ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓂ ᖁᓕᒥᒎᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᖅᑎᑦᑎᕗᖅ ᐆᒃᑐᕋᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᒥ ᐱᔭᕇᑦᑎᐊᒐᓚᖕᓂᕐᒥ ᐋᒍᔅᑎᙳᓚᐅᙱᓐᓂᖓᓂ, ᑕᒪᕐᒥᒐᓚᐃᑦ ᑐᒃᑐᐃᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᑉᐸᓪᓕᐊᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓂᐅᔪᒥ.
One of two helicopters used to sling bulk sample bags to the laydown area from the sample pits. Having two helicopters allowed the sampling program to be mostly complete before August, when the majority of the caribou start showing up in the area. Photo courtesy of Dave Pickston

ᓂᒋᖅᐸᓯᖕᒧᑦ ᑕᐅᕗᖓ North Arrow Minerals’ ᐃᓂᒋᔭᖓᓄᑦ 2,000-ᑕᓐᓂ ᐆᒃᑐᕋᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᖅ ᐱᔭᕇᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᑕᖅᑭᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐅᓯᔭᐅᓂᐊᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᓇᐅᔮᑦ ᓯᒡᔭᖓᓄᑦ ᐅᓯᓕᐅᔾᔭᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᒥ ᐅᒥᐊᕐᔪᐊᕐᒧᑦ, ᓄᓇᓕᐅᔪᖅ ᓇᐅᔮᓂ 10 ᑭᓛᒥᑐᑲᓴᖕᒥ ᐅᖓᓯᒃᑎᒋᕗᖅ.Looking south towards the North Arrow Minerals’ laydown area after the 2,000-tonne sampling program was complete and awaiting transport to Naujaat’s beach to be loaded on the sealift. The community of Naujaat is less than 10 kilometres away. Photo courtesy of Dave Pickston
ᓂᒋᖅᐸᓯᖕᒧᑦ ᑕᐅᕗᖓ North Arrow Minerals’ ᐃᓂᒋᔭᖓᓄᑦ 2,000-ᑕᓐᓂ ᐆᒃᑐᕋᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᖅ ᐱᔭᕇᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᑕᖅᑭᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐅᓯᔭᐅᓂᐊᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᓇᐅᔮᑦ ᓯᒡᔭᖓᓄᑦ ᐅᓯᓕᐅᔾᔭᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᒥ ᐅᒥᐊᕐᔪᐊᕐᒧᑦ, ᓄᓇᓕᐅᔪᖅ ᓇᐅᔮᓂ 10 ᑭᓛᒥᑐᑲᓴᖕᒥ ᐅᖓᓯᒃᑎᒋᕗᖅ.
Looking south towards the North Arrow Minerals’ laydown area after the 2,000-tonne sampling program was complete and awaiting transport to Naujaat’s beach to be loaded on the sealift. The community of Naujaat is less than 10 kilometres away. Photo courtesy of Dave Pickston

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