Mon Gold Project Archaeological Impact Assessment
Grant Clarke (NWT Archaeologist’s Permit 2015-005)
On behalf of New Discovery Mines Ltd., Golder Associates Ltd. undertook an Archaeological Impact Assessment (AIA) of the Mon Gold Project. The Mon Gold Project is located on the northern shore of Discovery Lake, approximately 50 km north of Yellowknife.
The AIA was recommended based on the results of an earlier archaeological overview assessment which identified areas of archaeological potential within the Project Area. The shoreline and adjacent uplands, including an esker on the Project site were determined to have the potential for heritage resources and required field investigations prior to any proposed development activities.
The Project Area is within the traditional lands of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, Tłı̨chǫ, and Métis people. There are no previously recorded archaeological sites in the immediate vicinity of the proposed Project, although this likely reflects a lack of scientific investigation in the study area. The nearest sites currently on record are found approximately 50 km northeast, 30 km east and 35 km south of the Mon Gold Property at Nicholas Lake, Duncan Lake, Graham Lake, and around the Prosperous Lake and Yellowknife River areas.
The Discovery Lake location has been subject to historic mining activity (Photo 1) and is currently used as a camp and staging area for exploration activities in the surrounding region by New Discovery Mines Ltd. Proposed advanced development of the Mon Gold Property includes the re-establishment of a winter access road, mining and milling and processing activities that will introduce additional ground disturbance in the form of mine infrastructure and waste storage facilities.
Fieldwork was conducted on July 21, 2015 under Class 2 Archaeologist Permit 2015-005 issued to Grant Clarke of Golder Associates Ltd. One new archaeological site, KfPg-1, consisting of one stone artifact (Photo 2), was located within the Project Area. The site was mitigated through documentation and artifact collection. No further archaeological work was recommended, however any changes to the project footprint that will require disturbance to areas not assessed by the AIA should be reviewed by an archaeologist to determine if further field studies are needed.
(Edited by Shelley Crouch, Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre)
