Resource World Magazine

A P R I L / M A Y 2 0 1 9 www.resourceworld.com 29 FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING THE HIGH-GRADE AMBLER MINING DISTRICT - An Emerging World Class Copper, Zinc and Precious Metals District and royalties to public and Indigenous governments. Resource World magazine recently had the opportunity to interview Wally Schumann, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment and Minister of Infrastructure for the Northwest Territories. RESOURCE WORLD: How important is the exploration and mining industry to the Northwest Territories? WALLY SCHUMANN: I've told this story a number of times and I love tell- ing it. The mineral industry is the most important part of our economy. It's 25 to 30% of our GDP making it a significant contributor. It's the largest one with the exception of the Government of Northwest Territories itself. Without it, we'd be in pretty rough shape, so it's of major impor - tance to us. RW: The Northwest Territories is known for diamonds and gold. What other kinds of mineral commodities are being explored for in the Northwest Territories? WS: At present, we've got Pine Point Mines looking at opening the old lead- zinc mine site on the south side of Great Slave Lake. We've got some rare earths and we've got Fortune Minerals and their NICO cobalt-bismuth-gold project. They recently entered into a socio-economic agreement with the NWT. Basically, we have a vari - ety of minerals available to be mined in the Northwest Territories. RW: I've heard that there are a lot of old cobalt showings in the NWT that are worth investigating. Are you aware of any companies seeking cobalt? WS: I actually had a private discussion recently with a company that's having a serious look at some cobalt properties. RW: Would you say that the Government of the Northwest Territories is actively trying to develop a strong and healthy mining industry? WS: That's exactly what we're doing and we clearly laid that out in this Assembly. I've been on the road nonstop since I was given this portfolio three years ago. One of the biggest challenges we had early in the days of this government were discussions with various investment groups across the country that they weren't even quite clear how devolution took place and what that meant for the responsibility of the ter - ritorial government. Now we are tabling our very first Mineral Resource Act in the legislative assembly for first and second reading. So hopefully, by the end of this Assembly, we will have our own made- in-the-North legislation on the Mineral Resource Act. RW: Does the Northwest Territories offer any incentives for mineral explorers? WS: We have a number of programs. There's our Prospector Mining Incentive Program funding that we have for the life of this Assembly. We actually doubled it and it's translated to helping a number of junior companies in particular to advance their projects. We have a small amount of money for a small jurisdiction but we put it to good use. R W: Is the general population, includ- ing First Nations, generally supportive of developing the mining industry in the Northwest Territories? WS: We had a survey done about 24 months ago that clearly stated almost everything related to mining and NWT was over the 80% mark – as high as 86% of people supported the mining industry in the Northwest Territories. RW: That's actually an extremely high TOP LEFT: Wally Schumann, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment and Minister of Infrastructure for the Northwest Territories. Photo courtesy Government of Northwest Territories. BOTTOM LEFT: Underground test mining at the Fortune Minerals NICO Project 160 km northwest of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Photo courtesy Fortune Minerals Ltd. NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

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