Canada’s ‘unforgiving’ arctic poses

And he ought to know, for this is a highly successful operation and the most northerly gold operation in the Free World.

One of the very cornerstones of this now broadly-based company, Lupin rates as one of this country’s highest grade gold producers. Now turning out in excess of 200,000 oz annually in a highly-mechanized underground operation working in permafrost that extends to a depth of close to 1,800 ft, indications are that it will con tinue to turn out gold at this rate for years to come.

A graduate (1957) of the noted Haileybury School of Mines, Walker gained broad mining experience working for Noranda ines at Timmins, Campbell Chibougamau Mines in Quebec and Granduc Mines in B.C. (Newmont and Esso Minerals), in additi on to performing mine contracting work across the country.

He joined the Echo Bay-Lupin project in November, 1986, as mine superintendent. He was soon promoted to general superintendent, and in 1989 took over the mi ne manager’s post.

Electric hydraulic drilling in frozen ground conditions is just one of the mining innovations that has been refined at this particular operation, which has proved much more fuel-efficient than conventional compressed air drilling. This is an important cost consideration when fuel must be trucked some 360 miles over an ice road in the dead of winter.

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