Located on Little Cornwallis Island in Nunavut, in Canada’s high arctic, the Polaris mine was the most northerly metal mine in the world. Polaris was an underground lead/zinc mine that commenced production in 1980 and closed in September 2002. In its day, the mine processed about 1 million tonnes of ore per year.
The nearest community, made up of fewer than 200 Inuit people, is Resolute Bay, located approximately 100 kilometres southeast of the mine. During operation, the mine held regular meetings with the hamlet council and local residents. Since closure, Teck Cominco continues to keep the community informed of monitoring activities.