AME BC History - 1970s

Although the industry had enjoyed a successful period of growth in the ‘60s, BC was on the threshold of yet another surge of mineral production by large porphyry copper mines such as Island Copper, Lornex and Similkameen Copper.  In the Yukon, the Faro mine was rapidly becoming the mainstay of the economy and additional discoveries in the same area emphasized the long-term importance of mining to the territory.

AME BC has always been a proponent of the 'multiple use' concept as applied to resources on Crown land and when the Interior Resource Users Association was formed, AME BC became a member of that organization and later supplied its chairman and vice chairman.  The relationship was an excellent example between various resource users.

The exploration end of the mining industry suffered a mild setback in 1971-72 when several large American backed companies came under financial restraint at home and shut down minerals exploration offices in Canada.  This was nothing, however, compared to the setback to come.

On the heels of the New Democratic Party’s election in September of 1972 came a wholesale revision of the provincial government’s mining legislation.  A moratorium was placed on placer staking until a review of related legislation could be completed.  Bills 31, 44, 76, 77, 80, 95 and 101 were introduced without any prior discussion with industry and a radically new staking system was introduced.

The effects on the industry were dramatic and AME BC jumped into action.  A bureau was established in Victoria to provide information to MLAs during the debate over Bill 31 and several crisis meetings were held in the Hotel Vancouver at which resolutions were passed opposing the new legislation.  A number of members felt AME BC could and should do more in a political sense but the executive committee maintained the policy of the association was to remain nonpolitical.  AME BC, however, continued to speak out against poor legislation from whatever party formed the government.

The result was that the BC Mining Emergency Fund was established by a number of members to disseminate factual information on the industry to the public and by means of bumper stickers, advertisements and public meetings, convey the message that “Mining – BC’s 2nd Industry” was about to meet its demise unless the government withdrew its onerous legislation.  Claims staking was down 76% in BC for the first nine months of 1974 and had increased by 194% in the Yukon for the same period.  It was anticipated that claims staking in the Yukon would exceed that in BC for the first time in history.

Meanwhile, AME BC’s committees prepared brief after brief and the manager and assistant manger spent 90% of their time on presentations to the government, from the premier on down, and speaking to numerous organizations.

On January 14, 1975, Tommy Elliott retired as manager of AME BC and was replaced by Rick Higgs.  Tom was, however, to remain an active participant on the mining scene for many years to come.  Also, after 13 years as secretary, May Martin retired to be missed by AME BC and her many friends in the mining community.  Upon the death of one of its revered members, the Chamber rehabilitated its library and named it the “Charles S. Ney Library” in honour of and in recognition of his many services to the mining industry.

One interesting project, assisted by the Chamber in the ‘70s, was the incorporation of 140 panels of minerals from various parts of BC, into the entrance wall of the Sheraton Landmark Hotel on Robson Street.

On December 11, 1975, the NDP party was defeated in a general election and the new government quickly indicated an early repeal of much of the controversial legislation introduced by its predecessors.

AME BC’s Placer Committee began a review of current placer problems in BC and AME BC opened its placer mining school in the spring of 1976.  Another committee was struck to study the financing of public companies and monitor activities of the Vancouver Stock Exchange.  The requirement of $500,000 working capital for companies seeking listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange was providing to be favourable for the VSE by default.  Uranium in BC was becoming a controversial issue and a committee was struck to disseminated factual information to what appeared to be a grossly uninformed public.

As the boom and bust decade came to a close, AME BC opted to honour one of its recently deceased members who had contributed so much to the health of the mining industry in different ways.  The H.H. “Spud” Huestis Award, consisting of a claim post mounted on a block of porphyry copper ore from the Bethlehem Copper Mine, is awarded each year to the person who, in AME BC’s view, has made a significant contribution to the enhancement of the mineral resources of BC and/or the Yukon, directly or indirectly, through the original application of prospecting techniques or other geoscience technology.