The Det’on Cho construction company has signed an agreement with Australia-based Cheetah Resources to control the mining at the Nechalacho Rare Earth mining project site.
Det’on Cho is a subsidiary of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation.
According to a news release, the agreement may be the first where all mining operations are controlled by an Indigenous company.
The agreement was signed at the AME round up conference in Vancouver with Ndilo chief Ernest Betsina in attendance.
“Cheetah and Det’on Cho Nahanni have set an important new benchmark for indigenous participation in major projects for the Northwest Territories,” he said in a statement.
The news release said the three-year project will employ about 25 people.
The site is about 100 kilometres south-east of Yellowknife.
