Kaminak Lake
Kaminak Lake Location in Nunavut
Location	Kivalliq Region, Nunavut
Coordinates	62°8′N 95°6′W / 62.133°N 95.100°W / 62.133; -95.100 (Kaminak Lake)
Primary inflows	Ferguson River
Primary outflows	Hudson Bay
Basin countries	Canada
Max. length	40 mi (64 km)
Max. width	1–22 mi (2–35 km)
Surface area	600 km2 (230 sq mi)
Surface elevation	53 m (174 ft)
Settlements	uninhabited
References	[1]

Kaminak Lake (pronounced: KA-min-ak) is a lake in Kivalliq Region, Nunavut, Canada. The sub-Arctic lake is one of eleven lakes of the Ferguson River system which ultimately flow into the northwestern Hudson Bay. The abandoned outpost of Tavani is 60 mi (97 km) to the east.

Geography

It is within a permafrost region of Canada, and part of the Herne Domain Western Churchill province of the Churchill craton, which is the northwest section of the Canadian Shield.

Minerals

Around 1971, after reviewing 2,000 samples, the Geological Survey of Canada discovered: "an unusual and unsuspected distribution of above background mercury concentrations in natural waters". While this offered the potential for mineral explorations, it was also notable as commercial fishing occurs in Kaminak Lake.^[2] In the mid 1970s, the Kaminak Lake fishery was moved further up the Ferguson River to Qamanirjuaq ("Kaminuriak") Lake; it did not exhibit elevated mercury levels.^[3] Other prospecting and mapping studies followed and exploration companies found gold at the lake, including on an island within the lake.^[4]

Fauna

Kaminak Lake is part of the barren-ground caribou migration area.^[5]