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W I N T E R 2 0 1 4 Map : Atla s of Canada , Minerals We st Sheet , 1915 – Open Government Licence – Canada
Prospecting declined during the
Great Depression, but picked up some-
what during the Second World War
when tungsten, mercury and other
metals were in short supply. There was
a general increase in prospecting follow-
ing the war, reaching a peak in the 1960s
during the Great Copper Rush. Leading
the exploration charge were large
companies with helicopter-supported
teams of specialists using geochemistry
and other relatively new techniques and
assisted by continuing government map-
ping programs. Most of these companies
used Smithers as a base. Important mines
that were discovered in this general area
during that period were Bell Copper
(Noranda) at Babine Lake; Equity Silver
(Kennco) southeast of Houston; and
Huckleberry (Kennco) southwest of
Houston. The Granisle mine was devel-
oped during this time but it had been dis-
covered prior to 1912. The Huckleberry
mine is currently producing copper,
gold, silver and molybdenum. Mining
stopped at both Bell and Granisle before
the deposits were completely mined out.
