View to the north of Lou and Lion Lakes from the uplands that comprise the Project Area.   Note the bedrock that is typical of the area.

Brian Ronaghan of Golder Associates completed an archaeological inventory and assessment of facility locations proposed by Fortune Minerals for a bulk-sampling program for an underground gold mine operation near Nico Lake.   The property is located about 10 km east of Hislop Lake in the Marian basin north of Great Slave Lake.   John Mantla of Rae (Dogrib First Nation) assisted with the investigations.  

The Nico Lake Mine is in the preliminary planning stage of development and as a result, very limited information is available regarding the eventual development of the property.   Previous archaeological records and studies within the region, as well as environmental and ethnohistorical data, were consulted to aid in providing a basis for structuring field studies and context for any sites that might be found.   Map and aerial photograph mosaic analysis was also undertaken to serve as an orientation to the Project area landforms and their heritage resource potential.   The foot traverses and visual examination then focused on the project specific facilities that have been defined as well as the landforms considered to exhibit high potential for heritage resources.

One of the two claim posts found.

Due to the largely sloping nature of the terrain, there was a notable lack of organic sediments in all areas except in water-saturated locations, which were considered to have low heritage resource potential.   Consequently, shovel testing to investigate for buried sites was neither feasible nor warranted.   The field program resulted in the identification of five loci of historic period use.   None of the locations exhibited materials and/or evidence of use that exceeded the late 1960's in age.   As a result, none were considered archaeological resources under the current provisions of the Archaeological Sites Regulations (GNWT 2001) and none were formally recorded as such.   The locations consist of two claim posts for prospects registered in or around 1968, two trails that represent recent use of seismic and exploration cut lines by Aboriginal hunters or trappers, and a temporary campsite by an exploration or survey crew probably in the 1970's.   None of these sites are considered to be of more than limited scientific significance.

Although archaeological sites have been recorded in the region, none have been found in the area to be affected by the Nico Mine Project.   While some of the locations of specific development facilities are not known, all high potential landforms within the Project area were examined.   Therefore, it is recommended that development proceed without additional heritage resources investigations.   However, the local area traditional users should be consulted prior to development as the area is currently utilized.