The Nuluujaat Guardians, the hunters behind the week-long protest at the Mary River iron mine earlier this month, are circulating a petition that calls upon the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) to prevent “nuisance” iron ore dust from spreading near the mine site.
The petition recognizes the Inuit of Nunavut as the owners of the land where the mine exists and the QIA as the landlord who leases the site to Baffinland Iron Mines.
“The activities of the Baffinland have caused the destructive spread of iron dust on the lands and waters and interfered with Inuit hunting rights all over the surrounding lands and ocean,” the petition reads.
Specifically, the Nuluujaat Guardians demand that the QIA stop the transport of iron ore in open trucks, the storage of the ore in open piles and the open transfer of ore to ships.
“Baffinland should not be allowed to increase its annual haul and needs to stop any pre-development on the site,” the petition states. “If the mine cannot be safe and clean, then let the ore stay in the ground until a company comes with a plan that is clean and safe for Inuit lands and community.”
If only they could crush the ore inside a building to prevent ore dust from spreading? and less trucks on the road?
Hmmmmm oh yeah phase 2 would solve that
So you are saying deal with the dust and decline in harvestable marine life, or give up the caribou grounds? Where is your happy medium?
Real suggestions like covers for the trucks, or not crushing the ore so small on sight are, at least, feasible steps in remediation. Obviously Phase 2 is not being supported at the moment. No need to rant like a stockholder.
Bioaccumulation and toxicity of high dose iron are a real risk here, and rarely mentioned. I applaud the Guardians for their efforts. As well the pre-development of massive impact projects that are not yet approved only shows the untrustworthiness of the company.
Phase 2 – what are the measures that would be implemented and what steps would show reduced ore dust. what is the percentage increase in iron caused by dust
It clearly came out it was about the money. It always is about the mkney
So what if it was, effected communities never saw any of it anyways. So are we supposed to give up our wildlife too? Ignorant.
Solution might be to stop using the trucks and both build and use the railway as has been repeatedly been proposed
Just get hazardous industries out of these areas, stop destroying the communities of the last remaining indigenous peoples, their cultures, the lands, and the environment they lived on, cared for over hundreds and thousands of years, places to save and to keep intact we all need to survive.