Yellowknives Dene at DO27

Two areas affected by Peregrine Diamonds Ltd. mineral exploration project in the vicinity of Thonokied Lake were assessed for potential conflicts between exploration activities and heritage resources from July 4-6, 2006. The work was conducted by Callum Thomson, Thomson Heritage Consultants, and a team from the Yellowknives Dene First Nation including Alfred Baillargeon, Peter Sangris, Paul MacKenzie and Morris Martin. We undertook a pedestrian survey of the exploration area around the Peregrine camp, a 2 x 2 km block centered on the north end of the camp lake and including all activity areas and areas considered to have some archaeological potential, such as bedrock outcrops, level gravel terraces, elevated points and lake shores. In addition, we flew the winter spur road alignment to the lake informally called Gravel Pit Lake, 11 km west northwest of camp, where it joins the main Tibbett to Contwoyto winter road, formerly called the Lupin Road, observing the light imprint of the spur road on the overland portages. We landed to survey around the esker.

Gravel Pit Lake esker view NW

Eight new archaeological sites were found. Most sites contained only scatters of lithic (stone) materials, and one also contained an exploited quartz vein. Two other quartz veins were encountered but not recorded, as there was no positive evidence of exploitation. At only one site was any evidence found of any habitation features or structures used in hunting or processing - one tent ring. Modern or historic period campsites were not encountered. No sites were found to lie directly within any of the activity areas around the camp. The five sites that were found around the camp lake are relatively distant from these activity areas and located on high points so they do not appear to be at risk from the present project activities. Similarly, none of the four archaeological sites associated with the esker at Gravel Pit Lake appear to have been directly affected yet by activities in this area such as construction, maintenance and use of the winter spur road or gravel extraction from the esker. One site previously recorded adjacent to the esker (LcNr-1) appears to be intact and not at risk. One new site is located on a bedrock outcrop on the north side of the esker, so should not be at risk. Another is located within 15 m of gravel extraction activities on the esker, so is at considerable risk from continuing activities, presumably by the contractor responsible for construction and maintenance of the Tibbett to Contwoyto winter road. The third new site is located about 100 m from the esker and separated from it by a small bay, so is not at risk. Of these four sites, one appears to be of high significance due to the presence of the exploited quartz veins and associated workshop; the other three are of low to moderate significance. As the winter spur road from the DO 27 exploration area runs across a portage between the last lake on the spur route and Gravel Pit Lake, north of the esker, none of the four sites are at risk from operation of the Peregrine winter spur route; however, mitigation recommendations were proposed to safeguard the quartz quarry/workshop site from continuing gravel extraction on the esker.