OBITUARY — Ivan Christopher

Ivan Christopher, a pioneer in the field of geophysics and exploration in Canada, has died. He was 80.

Mr. Christopher graduated in 1938 from the University of Saskatchewan as a mining engineer and geologist before holding various engineering positions at the De Santis, Faymar and Moneta mines in the Porcupine-Timmins camp of Ontario.

He also served as an engineer for the Wartime Metals Corp. and the Siscoe mine near Val d’Or, Que. At the Cochenour-Willans mine in Red Lake, Ont., he rose to the level of mine superintendent.

In 1953, he moved to New Brunswick and formed his own geophysical company, where he developed a method of airborne electromagnetic surveying.

A year later, he located and staked a 60-million-ton, base-metal deposit in northern New Brunswick. He also discovered and staked the Joutel copper mine, north of Val d’Or, and had a hand in a 100-million-ton, copper-nickel discovery near Thunder Bay, Ont.

>From 1965 until his death, Mr. Christopher worked as a geological consultant and explored mineral properties in Canada, Mexico, Peru, Ireland, Chile and the U.S. He also participated in foreign trade missions sponsored by the federal government.

In 1993, New Brunswick Premier Frank McKenna honored Mr. Christopher for his contributions to geology and exploration in that province.

Mr. Christopher was a lifetime member of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum.

He is survived by Diane, his wife of more than 50 years, and their children, Keith, Cheryl and Lynne, as well as eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.