Abstract The Nanisivik project is in the eastern Canadian Arctic at latitude 73° N, about 750 km north of the Arctic Circle. Winters are long and cold but temperature extremes are moderated by proximity to the Arctic and Atlantic oceans. Permafrost extends to depths of 500 m or more, and rock temperatures in the mine average minus 12° Celsius (McNeil et al, 1993). The area is a dry semi-desert with annual precipitation of 125 mm. Vegetation is sparse. Good surface rock exposure is limited to cliffs and creek beds since the more gentle slopes are covered by felsenmeer and glacial deposits. Nanisivik has proven to be a low-cost producer despite its location. It is accessible to ocean shipping which reduces transport costs, and the deposit geology is amenable to efficient mining and milling methods. Annual output is about 100,000 tonnes of concentrate containing 55 % zinc, produced from 750,000 tonnes of mined ore. Most of the ore is mined from room and pillar stopes using wheeled equipment. The project supports a community of 350 people, which includes a school, recreational facilities, and a jet airport. The mine staff comes from all over Canada and includes about 25 % Northerners. Most people go “out” on vacation two or three times a year. The marine waters around Greenland and the Canadian Arctic Islands have supported a meager Eskimo population for thousands of years. European exploration started with the Norsemen in medieval times but contact was limited by the extreme distances and short seasons of open water. Except for scattered trading posts, there was little settlement or development in the Islands until air travel became practical. Mineralization was first reported in the Nanisivik area by a prospector from a Coast Guard expedition that wintered over in Arctic Bay, 30 km to the west, during 1910-1911 (Clayton and Thorpe, 1982). Sulphides documented in 1954 by the Geological Survey of Canada led to staking and exploration by Texasgulf Inc. Most of the known deposits were discovered and drilled, at least to some extent, by the mid 1960's, including prospects up to 32 km east. Mineral Resources International obtained an option on the project in 1972 and ultimately commenced production in 1976.