Since 1915, the Northern Miner weekly newspaper has chronicled Canada’s globally significant mining sector.
Walking through the Toronto offices of Selco, the minerals division o f BP Canada Inc., one gets a nagging suspicion that many eyes are following you. On closer examination, one’s suspicions are proved correct for most of the offices are walled in glass. The glass is a physical manifestation of a management philosophy based on open communication — and no secrets. A philosophy espoused by Patrick C. MacCulloch, vice-president of mining and minerals at BP and head of Selco.
It’s also no secret that under his leadership, Selco has quietly made capital project commitments during the last two years exceeding $250 million — project commitments which will propel Selco into the realm of a major precious and base metals producer during the next decade.
For this reason, the publisher and editorial staff of The Northern Miner have chosen Patrick C. MacCulloch as The Northern Miner’s Mining Man of the Year for 1986.
During the present period of depressed base metal prices, Selco emba rked in 1985 on a $125-million expansion program at its Selbaie copper-zinc mine 60 km northwest of Joutel, Que. It was an expansion which raised the collective eyebrows of the Canadian mining community. In fact, The Northern Miner Magazine questioned in May “At first you have to wonder if it isn’t all a big mistake. A base metals mine at today’s prices?”