Myra Falls: ‘A Unique Situation'
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By Kate Burrows   
Friday, 03 October 2008
Myra Falls, Campbell River, British Columbia
The Myra Falls mine – located approximately 62 miles southwest of Campbell River – began operation in 1966 as an open-pit mine.
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Lehigh Cement
Greendown Canada
Simson Maxwell
Located in British Columbia’s Strathcona Park, the “jewel in the crown of British Columbia’s park system,” the Myra Falls mine “is truly a unique situation and one not likely found elsewhere in the world,” Vice President and General Manager Robert Behrendt explains. Operated by NVI Mining Ltd., a subsidiary of Toronto-based Breakwater Resources Ltd., the mine, located approximately 62 miles southwest of Campbell River, began operation in 1966 as an open pit mine.
   
Production later moved underground in what became the Myra Mine, Behrendt explains. Next to safety, environmental compliance is of the utmost importance and never compromised. Water quality, air quality and noise are closely monitored. The mine works closely with British Columbia Parks to ensure harmony with the park. “We are proud of our track record and firmly believe that operating our mine in this location is a privilege that we highly value,” Behrendt says. “In addition, we routinely enjoy seeing bears, elk, mountain lions, bald eagles, along with all kinds of migratory birds, while at work or on our travels to and from the mine.”
   
Although the original deposits have since been mostly mined out, further exploration has identified new zones, according to Behrendt. Beginning in 1985, new discoveries unveiled what is now known as the HW deposit, followed in 1991 with the Battle/Gap deposit, and then in 1995 the first intersections into the Marshall zone were drilled. Today, the Battle/Gap and the HW deposits comprise the primary producing areas of Myra Falls. The Marshall zone is anticipated to be a major source of future production.
   
“Exploration and mining at Myra falls is relatively complex,” Behrendt admits. “The ore bodies are massive sulphide deposits of volcanogenic origins. They are hosted within the Myra formation, a package of Devonian-aged rocks located in central and southern Vancouver Island. The Myra formation comprises an assemblage of andesitic to rhyolitic volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks, including at least two pulses of mineralization.”
   
According to Behrendt, the primary characteristics of the mineralization are:
  • A diverse array of mineralized bodies, such as well-zoned basal copper-zinc massive sulphide lenses, to replacement-type, copper/zinc-rich polymetallic lenses.
  • Principal minerals are sphalerite, pyrite and chalcopyrite, with galena, bornite and tennantite.
  • The HW deposit constitutes the largest sulphide accumulation ranging up to 65 meters in thickness. The Battle/Gap zone, although geologically similar and having the same footwall unit, has a significantly higher zinc content, demonstrating a greater component of polymetallic replacement-type zones.
   
The two mines are currently in production, Behrendt adds. The HW mine is accessed by a 716-meter-deep vertical shaft, which is linked to the production areas by ramps and lateral development. In addition, the Battle/Gap mine is linked to HW by a 1.8 kilometer drift. “Mining in the HW mine has employed a variety of mining methods including cut-and-fill, room-and-pillar, and longhole open stope,” Behrendt explains. “In the Battle/Gap zone, longhole and cut and fill methods are employed, depending on the ore body configuration.”
   
Myra Falls’ milling process consists of secondary and tertiary crushing, following by rod and ball milling and flotation, producing zinc, copper, gold and lead concentrates, Behrendt states. The mill has a capacity of 1.4 million ore tons per year.

‘Beautiful Community’
The majority of Myra Falls’ employees live in Campbell River and other nearby communities, and are transported to the mine each day on coach buses. There is also an on-site camp for employees who are on extended rotations. With 287 employees, the mine is a major employer in the community – this is a role that Behrendt does not take lightly.
   
“Myra Falls plays an important role as a corporate citizen,” Behrendt says, adding that the firm sponsors many youth sports teams, the local Chamber of Commerce, United Way, Strathcona Park and also supports a variety of community initiatives.
    
The management team ensures all employees can go home healthy each day by implementing a stringent safety training program. In 2005, it launched a training program to re-certify its work force based on updated safety initiatives.
“Training modules are based on the Norcat system widely used in other jurisdictions, with appropriate customization for the Myra Falls environment,” Behrendt states. This training method provides a consistent and documented approach to teaching both classroom and practical components of the varied functions throughout the mining operation.
   
“Health and safety are given the highest priority at Myra Falls, and is the No. 1 core value,” he adds. “Constant efforts and focus have resulted in steady improvements in incident frequency.”
 
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