(Street Life is a regular feature that profiles what's playing in the stock market.)

Act I: Some of it in Nunavut

* The Player: Miramar Mining Corp. (TSX:MAE)

* Action: Up 29 per cent or $1.40 in a week (from $4.88 Oct. 1)

* Recent Price: $6.28

* 52-Week High/Low: $6.30/4.04 There's gold in that thar ice up north. A U.S. company is buying a Vancouver miner in hopes of getting closer to the pot.

Denver-based Newmont Mining Corp. is paying $1.5 billion cash for Miramar Mining Corp., and will take control of the Hope Bay project - a nine-million-ounce gold deposit - in Nunavut.

Getting to the actual gold won't come easily though: There are no operating mines in the region and the area still requires major infrastructure development (such as roads into various projects).

But forget the chill and stumbling blocks; Nunavut deals are red-hot this year.

In February, Toronto's Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd. paid $710 million for Cumberland Resources Ltd. and its Nunavut gold project. Australia's Zinifex Ltd. paid $360 million for Wolfden Resources Inc.

and its two projects in the territory.

Act II: Government thumbs-up

* The Player: Altius Minerals Corp.

(TSX:ALS)

* Action: Up 23 per cent or $5.36 in a week (from $23.73 Oct. 1)

* Recent Price: $29.09

* 52-Week High/Low: $29.55/6.43 "Subject to government approval" is a phrase that can strike fear in the hearts of the most powerful Canadian companies and dealmakers, but one Newfoundland and Labrador-based resources company can breathe a sigh of relief - it got the good news it was waiting for.

Altius Minerals Corp. and its European partners recently received environmental approval from the Newfoundland government to build a $4-billion oil refinery in the province.

With that major hurdle out of the way, the 300,000-barrel-per-day refinery is one step closer to becoming a reality.

Altius stock reached $28.75 on the news, and is continuing to hit new 52-week highs since the announcement.

Act III: Those cryin' eyes

* The Player: QLT Inc. (TSX:QLT)

* Action: Down 11 per cent or $0.62 in a week (from $5.65 Oct. 1)

* Recent Price: $5.03

* 52-Week High/Low: $11.67/4.93 There isn't a dry eye in the place - at least that's what a Vancouver-based biopharmaceutical firm is hoping for.

QLT Inc., a company involved in developing treatments for eye diseases as well as dermatological and urological conditions, announced a $42-million deal to take over California-based ForSight Newco II, the creators of a drug-delivery system called "punctual plugs.”

(The plugs, small golf-tee-shaped devices, are inserted into tear ducts and used to treat dry eye and other conditions.)

In addition to the $42 million, QLT will also make milestone payments for trials and commercialization of the products, which represent a $6-billion market, according to the company.

Shareholders didn't seem impressed with QLT's foresight.

The stock closed down $0.31 to $5.03 the day of the announcement, continuing its slide from February highs over $11.

Act IV: Wind in its sales

* The Player: AAER Inc. (TSXV:AAE)

* Action: Up 34 per cent or $0.27 in a week (from $0.79 Oct. 1)

* Recent Price: $1.06

* 52-Week High/Low: $1.19/0.22 Stock of a Quebec wind-turbine manufacturer caught an updraft and made the Venture Exchange's biggest gainers list for the week (and month).

AAER Inc., Canada's first wind-turbine manufacturer, recently announced a deal with American Superconductor Corp. (AMSC) that allows AAER to manufacture and sell AMSC-designed two-megawatt wind turbines for the rapidly growing markets in North America, France and the United Kingdom.

This deal makes AAER the fourth new buyer for AMSC's designs this year, and AMSC's first alliance with a North American wind-turbine manufacturer.

AAER shares are up $0.32 or 43 per cent to $1.06 since the day of the announcement, and up $0.68 or 179 per cent in a month (from $0.38 Sept. 10, 2007).

NOTE: The above is not intended as investment advice to buy or sell any mentioned securities. Investors should do due diligence before investing. Quotes are based on results through Oct. 9, 2007.

(Nicole Strandlund can be reached at nicole@businessedge.ca)