Managing Canada’s Mines …..First in a series Making a mine of

“I’ve been fortunate to have always worked with mining companies in which geologists played a very active role on a daily operations level, rather than the more traditional `just tell me where the ore is’ situation,” he says.

After receiving a secondary school education in Val d’Or, Scherkus proceeded to McGill University in Montreal where he majored in geology, receiving a B.Sc. degree in 1975. However, before graduating he spent the 1969-74 summers working in the geological departments at Manitou Barvue and Lamaque Mines in the Val d’Or area.

Immediately following graduation he was hired by Camflo Mines as senior geologist. This was followed by a stint at the Wilanour Resources’ project at Red Lake as chief geologist and assistant manager. He then joined the staff at neighboring Dickenson Mines as mine superintendent where he remained until 1985 before moving back to Quebec as project manager at Dumagami Mines where, two years later, he was promoted to his present post of mine manager.

“It’s been an incredible experience overseeing a submarginal grade deposit with 20 years of previous work develop into a profitable 2,000-ton-per-day operation with reserves now in excess of seven million tons,” he told The Northern Miner. But much credit must be given to Paul Penna for his perseverance and faith during those lean years.

“I wonder how many other deposits have been less fortunate and currently lying dormant? But isn’t this what makes the mining business so exciting?”

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