During a 45-year career in mining, Albert Koffman’s efforts led to the discovery of 13 base metal mines including the discovery and development of a new mining district in Manitoba.
The initiative of Jack Hammell to harness the potential of the airplane opened the floodgates to mineral exploration in Canada’s north. It was Hammell’s ambition to “crack open the north,” and he did that through his pioneering use of aircraft to move men and materials to areas previously accessible only by dogsled in winter or canoe in summer.
A.O. Dufresne, born April 10, 1890, devoted his 45-year professional career to Quebec’s department of mines. He molded it into an efficient support system for mineral exploration and mine development that has assisted in exploiting the province’s mineral riches in an orderly fashion.
Harold Wright has been associated in some measure with virtually every significant mining operation in Western Canada and the Yukon during the past 45 years, as well as many operations internationally, through Wright Engineers, the consulting firm he established in 1947.
While every graduate engineer is familiar with the Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer, there may be a few who do not know that the ritual dates back to 1922 and a certain Professor Herbert Edward Terrick Haultain. In a talk he gave that year, Professor Haultain recommended developing an oath or creed for graduating engineers.
Were it not for the development of geophysical techniques applied to mine-finding, Canadian mining would never have attained the stature it has enjoyed. Because of this, the industry owes an enormous debt to C. Stanley Davidson.
Canada is known as a centre of excellence in mining geophysics, and much of the credit for this achievement goes to Harold Seigel, an extraordinary geophysicist who conceived and pioneered several new methods of mineral exploration.
A pioneer in the geophysical industry, Anthony (Tony) Barringer has made numerous contributions to the development of exploration technology, both in Canada and abroad. His most noteworthy contribution was the development of the INPUT (Induced Pulse Transient) airborne electromagnetic (EM) system.
Described justly as “a national asset”, Gerald Hatch has been honoured numerous times for his outstanding contributions to the advancement of process metallurgy and his leadership in multi-discipline consulting services. His world-renowned engineering firm, Hatch Associates, has successfully guided many metallurgical projects through the critical stages of research, development and production.
Franklin Pickard was a miner’s miner and the first Sudbury native to head up a major nickel company. He joined Falconbridge as a young process labourer and rose through the ranks to become the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
