Mining zinc and lead at the top of the world. (Polaris mine, Little Cornwallis Island, Northwest...

Polaris, the world's most northerly metal mine, demonstrates resilience and resourcefulness in tough conditions

Polaris is an extraordinary mine by any standards, but especially if visited in the winter. Then the 24-hour darkness imparts an eerie quality to the surroundings and there is always the hope, or fear, early in the winter, of seeing a polar bear. The first sighting of these huge carnivores -- that can grow up to 3 m in height and travel at speeds up to 40 km/h -- is normally around the middle of September at Polaris, and they have usually disappeared from the site