Nanisivik

Nanisivik is a former company mining town and industrial site on northern Baffin Island in Nunavut, established to support a nearby lead-zinc mine and its associated port and airstrip.

The site is characterised by industrial remains, support buildings and a small airstrip; it is not a functioning community but is visited in the context of industrial history, logistics and occasional redevelopment work.

The settlement and mine were established in the 1970s to exploit local lead-zinc deposits; mining activity ceased in the early 2000s and the town was subsequently vacated and largely dismantled.

Geographically it sits on the northeastern coast of Baffin Island in Nunavut, on the Arctic coastline north of the major communities in the territory and close to other small Inuit settlements in the region.

• Status: There is no established permanent community at the site today; it is best described as an abandoned company town and industrial site.
• Infrastructure: The location includes a deep-water port and airport infrastructure that were built to serve the mine and the settlement.

What to See #

• Nanisivik Mine: The open pit and conveyor infrastructure of the mine remain the dominant industrial features, marking the site of lead-zinc extraction that was the reason for the settlement.
• Nanisivik Airport and port: A small airstrip and support facilities that served the community and mining operation remain at the site; the airstrip is the local point of fixed-wing access.