Newsletter for the Rotary Club of Western Endeavour - Issue No.: 405 Issue Date: 5 Sep, 2010

It is always a wonder when someone can be asked to give an impromptu presentation and do so with amazing aplomb and clarity. That was what we experienced Tuesday when Malcolm Mason stepped in at a moment's notice to deliver a presentation on not only his involvement in the exploration for uranium and other precious metals in Greenland, but a fascintating snapshot of the country, its inhabitants and its history. Many of us know of Greenland, and maybe could even venture boldly to place it on a map - but much more? - probably not. But we now know about Greenland's run-in with Erik the Red and other daring seafaring folk, the Inuit people and their habitation of this icy place, and the people who live there now. Some other facts we learnt - Greenland isn't, it is treeless and icy for many months of the year with a very short window of time when exploration can be done; that the heart of Greenland is permafrost with a small coastal fringe that is able to be used for agriculture such as sheep farming. And that travel is very difficult within the country with most of it being done by helicopter, and that pronouncing the language is challenging!

Malcolm wove in the past and the present, to explain the impact and the enormous task of setting up a mining company in Greenland which will be of benefit to Greenland and its people, especially when the "U" word is used - Uranium. That is always an emotional debate and one fraught with dangers in any circle, let alone in a context where it is seen as making a mine of a pristine Arctic wilderness. It takes a very erudite and diplomatic person to succeed and Malcolm certainly appears to be the man - if facing hungry Rotarians is anything to go by!

And in an amazing coincidence, just when we have been introduced to Greenland and how it came to be populated by the Inuit peoples, an article appeared in The West Australian which looks at the latest discovery of the forebears of the Greenlanders of today through new DNA technology and evidence. Read that article in the newsletter too.