1940: Northwest Territories

As a result of the war, mining operations slackened somewhat in certain areas of the Northwest Territories, particularly in the Mackenzie District where pitchblende, silver, radium-uranium materials are mined. Enough stocks of radium-uranium ores have been accumulated to provide for five years of refining operations at the present rate of world demand for radium. In contrast, large-scale production continued throughout 1940 in the Yellowknife area, which is the center of gold and silver production. Production for the first eight months of 1940 was valued at $1,222,340 as compared with $1,779,775 for the whole year of 1939. Operations at the Great Slave Lake Gold Mires, which had been suspended since March, 1939, have been resumed on a small scale.

An important factor in the development of he North was the erection during the year of a new oil refinery capable of producing aviation and motor gasoline from local oil. This has resulted in a substantial reduction in the price of aviation fuel throughout the Arctic and sub-Arctic areas served by the plant.

Ordinances were passed by the Northwest Territories Council during 1940 governing the adoption of infants, providing for workmen's compensation, amending the territorial liquor ordinance and the ordinance licensing certain businesses, callings, trades, and occupations. Legislative activity was thus somewhat greater than in recent years.

Three of the thirty-seven geological and topographical survey and exploration parties engaged in field work during 1940 were assigned to the Northwest Territories. One of these completed the mapping of the Wray Lake area; the second was at work in the Yellowknife area; and the third started mapping an area of some 5,000 square miles in the McKay Lake region.