George tikkanen 1
George Tikkanen in 1953 (left) and 1979 (right)

George Tikkanen

Retired
Member since 1964

How did you get your start in the mineral industry?

I started my first job as a part of a geophysical crew out of high school and went on to graduate as a Geological Engineer.

What was the most fulfilling project you ever worked on, and why?

I worked on getting the early drilling done and acquiring the Red Dog zinc and lead deposit. It was satisfying because I knew it would provide jobs and zinc and lead for the Trail plant for years to come. In total I was either instrumental or a team leader in discovering at least 10 deposits for Cominco including the Polaris deposit in the Canadian Arctic and Quebrada Blanca in Chile. Most were team discoveries. I think the time for discoveries by individuals is gone.