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TORONTO, January 18, 2008 — The Canadian Mining Hall of Fame will induct five new members at its 20th annual induction ceremony, to be held this evening, Thursday, January 17, 2008, at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto. The new inductees will bring the total number of members in the Hall of Fame to 136 since the Hall was established in 1988.
The 2008 inductees are:
Carroll O. (“Chuck”) Brawner: Born in 1929, Carroll O. Brawner is one of the foremost Canadian consultants in geotechnical engineering, and in particular an authority on the application of engineering principles to the design of man-made slopes in soil and rock. In 1963, with the late H. Q. Golder, he founded Golder Brawner and Associates which evolved into today’s Golder Associates. Mr. Brawner lives in North Vancouver.
Johannes J. (“Joe”) Brummer (1921-2005): Johannes J. Brummer was one of Canada’s outstanding exploration geologists. Born in South Africa and arriving in Canada in 1953, over 50 years he continuously pioneered the development of innovative exploration technologies in geochemistry, Pleistocene geology and geophysics. His openness to innovation and willingness to employ new and original techniques resulted in the successful discovery of 10 mines or deposits under his direct supervision.
Ernest (“Ernie”) Craig (1888-1960): Ernest Craig was appointed the first General Manager of Falconbridge Nickel Mines in 1928 and within 18 months had supervised the construction of a mine, smelter, townsite, bunkhouse, mine hospital and school in the Sudbury area. He and his brother invented a unique method of attaching drill bits to the steel rod and formed the Craig Bit Company in North Bay in 1941. He went on to become General Manager of American Nepheline Limited in Nephton, Ontario, which would ultimately become Indusmin. Falconbridge (now Xstrata Nickel) named the Craig mine after him in 1993.
Chester F. Millar: Born in 1927, Chester F. Millar of Vancouver discovered the Afton Mines copper deposit near Kamloops, British Columbia, using percussion drilling techniques to explore the orebody rather than the diamond drills that are more common in mineral exploration. Next he founded Glamis Gold, then Vulcan Mining Company, a predecessor to Alamos Gold, and he played a strategic role in founding Eldorado Gold. He is well respected for his pioneering work in the application and refinement of heap leaching technology to low-grade gold deposits.
David A. Thompson: Born in London, England, in 1939, David A. Thompson joined Teck Corporation in 1980 as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and a director. He was President and CEO of Cominco Limited from 1995-2001, and Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Teck Cominco Limited from 2001-2005. A resident of Vancouver, he has remained active in public service since his retirement from the Board of Teck Cominco in 2007.
The Canadian Mining Hall of Fame honors those who have demonstrated outstanding lifetime achievements to the benefit of the Canadian minerals industry. It is sponsored by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum, the Mining Association of Canada, The Northern Miner newspaper and the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada. The Hall currently features its inductees at two locations, one in the University of Toronto’s Mining Building at 170 College Street, Toronto, and the other in the Mining Museum in the Lester B. Pearson Civic Centre in Elliot Lake in northern Ontario; and in December 2008 will be opening a new multimedia exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum.
More information about the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame and the new inductees is available at its website, www.halloffame.mining.ca