PROSPECTING – Seventy-five Nunavummiut recently learned how to find valuable minerals on the land, according to a Dec. 23 report from the Government of Nunavut. They are the most recent graduates of the territory’s “Introduction to Prospecting” course, which was offered in eight communities this summer including Cambridge Bay, Chesterfield Inlet, Coral Harbour, Gjoa Haven, Hall Beach, Repulse Bay, Sanikiluaq and Whale Cove. Taking the course allows students to apply for up to C$8,000 from the Government of Nunavut to complete a prospecting project. The course focused on a variety of lessons including: rock and mineral identification, ore samples and laboratory results, and map reading and claim staking. As part of the program, students learned how to collect interesting rock samples and send them to a laboratory for analysis. The students received free prospecting equipment and also were taught how to pan for gold and heavy minerals. Courses for 2015 are scheduled to start in June in Kugluktuk, Kugaaruk, Arctic Bay, Cape Dorset, Baker Lake, Rankin Inlet, Pangnirtung and Qikiqtarjuaq. Department of Economic Development and Transportation staff in both the Cambridge Bay and Arviat offices will deliver the courses. Nine hundred people have taken the popular course since 1999. For more information about the prospecting courses or funding a project, call toll-free 1-888-975-5999, and ask for Hugh MacIsaac, Mike Beauregard, Hugh Nateela or Harry Maksagak. More details about the Nunavut Prospectors Program can be found at http://gov.nu.ca/programs-services/nunavut-prospectors-program.