EDITORIAL & OPINION — ODDS ‘N’ SODS — Developing Granduc

The Granduc mine is a classic case of an isolated mine project, as the orebody was bounded by the Leduc glaciers to the east, west and north and the Frank Mackie glacier to the south. The nearest community was Stewart, 25 miles south at the head of the scenic Portland Canal, but the distance was impassable.

The Granduc story begins in 1946 with two enterprising prospectors, Einar Kvale and Tom McQuillan, pulling toboggans loaded with supplies up the Salmon glacier. They spent weeks on the vast ice fields, traversing the rugged mountain slopes in search of evidence of mineralization. They were so discouraged that when they finally found and staked the Granduc deposit, they questioned the logic of recording claims in such an isolated region.

The site was staked despite Karl Springer’s opposition, but he soon began exploration and development of what would become a rich copper deposit on the face of the Granduc Mountain.

Where and how to begin development was the question. There were no maps of the district, and access was difficult at best. The glacier fields were vast, uncharted realms of ice, which completely encompassed the Granduc site. It was also difficult to find people experienced in working under the harsh conditions that existed there.

In the beginning, fixed-wing aircraft equipped with floats took off from the quiet waters of the Portland Canal to land on the rugged glaciers in the shadow of Granduc Mountain. The floats were often damaged in the landing and take-off. Finally, the Patricia Transportation Company of Winnipeg was hired for its tractor-train experience in crossing glaciers.

Later, helicopters from Okanagan Helicopters were used to transport personnel, and much later, a meagre, single-track road was excavated to the Tide Lake depot. In addition to the road, an 11.6-mile-long tunnel was driven under glaciers and mountains to connect the road to the mine. The tens of millions of dollars spent on aircraft services, road construction and the tunnel would, at the time, have financed most other Canadian mines to production.

Then there was the weather, which, as indicated by the huge ice fields, was severe. Snowfall in the winter was 75 ft. at the Leduc site and more than 50 ft. at Tide Lake. Summer snowstorms at the camp in July and August deposited 3 to 4 ft. of snow over a period of days. Most discouraging were the whiteouts that blanketed glaciers and mountains alike, bringing any kind of traffic to a standstill. In winter, fierce snowstorms lasted for weeks and made movement of supplies impossible. Access, transportation and progress were at the mercy of the weather.

The search for men to work at this remote and hostile camp stretched from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland. Bill Piche traversed the Dominion to locate people who could surmount the loneliness and frustration that were sure to be experienced at such an isolated camp. In an attempt to attract families, new houses were built in Stewart, a town that had been in decline since the exhaustion of the gold-bearing veins at the Premier mine. At the Leduc and Tide Lake sites, camps were built to accommodate development crews. But we were at the mercy of the weather. Once, an exploration camp on the South Leduc glacier was destroyed by an avalanche that swept across the ice field.

Capital and financing requirements were a headache for Karl Springer, who was astute enough to realize that Highland Bell, a small silver producer, did not possess the necessary resources. The cost of the mine was estimated at $100 million. Karl enlisted Larry Postle and Granby Mining, which possessed a wealth of experience and a considerable bankroll from the Princeton operation at Copper Mountain.

However, the tasks and costs at the Granduc mine appeared to be staggering even for the Granby crew. Soon, Plato Malazemoff and Newmont entered the picture. Newmont had the vision, working capital, copper markets, management skills and the extensive background in mining needed to sustain the project. A sturdy team soon evolved around Merv Upham and Nick Gritzuk, and the Granduc came into production in 1970. It is the story of the evolution, in total isolation, of a mining community and of overcoming incredible obstacles.

For my part, I was proud to have been a member of the team that nurtured mine exploration and development in the hinterland of Canada.

— The author, a retired mining engineer, resides in Vancouver, B.C.