Pubdate: Thu, 05 Jul 2012
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2012 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/send_a_letter
Website: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502
Author: Jonathon Naylor
Note: Jonathon Naylor is editor of The Reminder newspaper in Flin Flon.

HIGH TIMES OVER FOR MARIJUANA MINE

FLIN FLON -- From humble beginnings to the international spotlight, 
there has never been a mine quite like Trout Lake.

After more than three decades, hundreds of grime-charred men and 
untold millions in profits, the landmark mine ended its remarkable 
run last week.

It is remembered for far more than the 24 million tons of ore hauled 
from its dark, foreboding tunnels. In its time, Trout Lake was 
arguably one of the most famous mines in the world.

When a copper-zinc deposit was discovered beside Trout Lake, just 
east of Flin Flon, in 1976, the enthusiasm was palpable yet tempered. 
Flin Flon-based Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting, now known as Hudbay, 
forecast a tidy profit from a mine expected to last just five years.

Production began in December 1981, feeding ore to a metallurgical 
plant a few kilometres down Highway 10A. Ongoing exploration would 
stretch out the life of the mine as the initial five, 10, 15 and then 
20 years passed.

And it was 20 years on that Trout Lake gained global notoriety mixed 
with a dash of controversy.

In 2001, within vacant space in the mine, a Saskatoon-based firm 
launched the nation's first legal marijuana grow-op. Under contract 
to Health Canada, Prairie Plant Systems would supply chronically ill 
Canadians with safe subterranean weed to ease their pain.

The location made sense. Not only did the mine's 12,000-square-foot 
growth chamber offer unprecedented security from looters, it also 
guaranteed modified plants would not spread their traits to 
surrounding vegetation.

Media from all over the world were on the story. Even the granddaddy 
of them all, The New York Times, dedicated coverage, reporting that 
besides copper and zinc, Trout Lake will "produce a very different bounty."

Trout Lake was known as "the marijuana mine," with plenty of jokes 
about memory lapses and junk-food binges aimed at Flin Flon. There 
were even T-shirts proclaiming the city as the "Marijuana Capital of Canada."

Not everyone took it in stride. A small pot leaf that had been added 
to the "Welcome to Flin Flon" highway sign was unceremoniously 
expunged, and letters to the editor questioned whether links to a 
mostly illegal drug conveyed the right message.

Then-mayor Dennis Ballard paid no attention to the critics. The 
affable former teacher "thought it was cool."

"I thought people that made a big stink about it, they didn't get 
it," he says. "I just thought we got lots of attention from it."

Attention and promise, that is. From the beginning, marijuana was 
seen as only the beginning of plant-based medicinal projects that 
would turn Flin Flon into an international leader in the emerging 
billion-dollar field of biopharmaceuticals.

The dream came crashing down in the summer of 2009 when Prairie Plant 
failed to secure a lease extension to remain in Trout Lake. All of 
the plants and hydroponic equipment were towed to an undisclosed location.

Of course the underground stash was not all that distinguished Trout 
Lake. In May 2002, its subterranean mechanical shop hosted some 300 
guests for a formal banquet to cap off a mining convention.

"Dinner in the Dark" saw diners enjoy a first-class meal in their 
Sunday bests -- and mandatory hard hats and safety glasses. It was 
believed to be a world first, one that Ballard recalls as a unique 
experience and "a helluva good idea."

On the mining stage, Trout Lake was recognized as a leader in 
mechanized mining, welcoming mining officials from around the world 
impressed by the ingenuity on display.

For the largely male workforce at Trout Lake, the atmosphere was 
always close-knit, particularly as the staff dwindled in the final 
months. Despite demanding and dangerous work, stress rarely sparked 
argument among what was essentially one big family.

"It's too bad it couldn't have lasted another five years," says 
Bentley Busby, a gruff-voiced, exceedingly polite employee who 
retired along with Trout Lake.

Trout Lake comes to a close as one of northern Manitoba's most 
successful mines ever. Only two other Hudbay mines -- the legendary 
Flin Flon Mine and the Ruttan Mine in Leaf Rapids, both long gone -- 
lasted longer.

The good news is that Hudbay has no plans to lay off anyone as the 
100-plus Trout Lake workers transfer to other company operations, 
including the Reed mine under development outside Snow Lake.

That pleases Ballard, who has seen the inevitable demise of too many 
mines in his lifetime.

"Mines open in order to close. They're like coaches in hockey, who 
are hired to be fired," he says.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom