Researchers look at history of North Rankin Inlet nickel mine

If you’re in Rankin Inlet today, stop by the community hall at 7 p.m. to learn more about an important part of the community’s history: the North Rankin Inlet nickel mine.

The North Rankin Nickel Mine, which operated between 1957 and 1962, was the first Arctic mining operation to employ Inuit.

Encouraged by the Department of Northern Development and National Resources, Inuit families relocated, and were relocated, to the new town of Rankin Inlet to work at the mine.

A team of Inuit participants, researchers, and local students are now visiting Rankin Inlet until Aug. 15 to learn more about the impacts of the mine on the community.

The team involved in the Abandoned Mines Project, led by Arn Keeling and John Sandlos of Memorial University, includes Peter Irniq, a former commissioner of Nunavut, and Pallulaaq Friesen, a student from Rankin Inlet.

Jordan Konek, a young Inuit researcher from the Nanisiniq: Arviat History Project, is also in Rankin Inlet to assist with the research and shoot footage for Nanisiniq’s short film on the Inuit history of the Rankin Inlet Nickel Mine.

“This is something that I don’t think most Inuit youth know about. I didn’t know about this until I started working on the project,” Konek said.