POSTSCRIPT

This case study shows the type of negotiation that is occurring in Yukon between exploration companiesExploration Company: a company whose principal activity is that of exploration. and First Nations. A key ingredient missing in the Keno Hill agreements to date is revenue.

It has been argued that it is unwise to negotiate revenue during the Exploration StageExploration Stage: the whole range of activity from searching for and developing mineralMineral: A naturally-occurring, homogeneous substance that has a definite chemical composition and (usually) a crystalline structure. deposits. of a mine. It is said to reduce the attractiveness of the project to potential investors. Indeed, when NND stood its ground over the government’s failure to consult with it appropriately, Alexco’s stock prices fell. But this fall in price actually served to speed up the mining project. Clearly, the temporary “unattractiveness” of the project to potential investors increased NND’s “leverageLeverage: strategic advantage or the power to act effectively. In negotiation, leverage is a measure of which side, at any given moment, has a greater ability to influence the other side.” or influence in negotiations. It is not clear whether NND used this leverage in any way to improve the Negotiation AgreementNegotiation Agreement: an early agreement in the mining process, likely to occur in the Exploration Stage, which would outline the basis of the relationship between the Aboriginal group and the mining company and how the relationship will evolve if the mine moves forward. or the Exploration CBA.