A Sudbury mining educator has been inducted into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame.
Dr. James M. Franklin, an adjunct professor in Laurentian University’s Harquail School of Earth Sciences, was one of five mining icons to receive the honour on Jan. 10 during a gala dinner in Toronto. The Hall of Fame recognizes sector contributors who have made outstanding achievements in the industry.
Franklin spent much of his career with the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) documenting the complex evolution of the Canadian Shield and the link to its phenomenal mineral wealth.
During his more than 35 years in the industry, his most outstanding contributions relate to volcanogenic massive sulphides, for which his geological understanding has been communicated throughout the industry and resulted in exploration successes. During his time as director of GSC’S Seafloor Minerals Program, they discovered modern massive-sulphide deposits on the mid-ocean ridges off the west coast of Canada.
While GSC’s chief scientist from 1993 to 1997, he established the popular “Bacon and Eggheads” forum in Ottawa to inform and educate Canadian government on the importance of science to the country’s economy. Franklin is well known and respected as a supporter of various industry associations and causes, as well as a mentor of young geoscientists.
Joining him in the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame are:
- Kate Carmack, who helped play an integral role in the Klondike Gold Rush, and joins the Klondike Discoverers;
- James W. Gill, who formed Aur Resources in 1981, which he eventually sold to Teck Resources for $4.1 billion;
- Sandy Laird, who was directly involved in transforming at least 15 mineral projects into profitable mines during his 39-year career with Placer Dome and Placer Development; and
- Brian Meikle (posthumous), who contributed to the discovery of the Camflo gold mine in Quebec, the Mercur gold mine in Nevada, and the Goldstrike mine in Nevada, all key projects for Barrick Gold. Meikle died in 2016.
The Canadian Mining Hall of Fame was founded in 1988 by the Northern Miner, the Mining Association of Canada, the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum.
