The Northern Miner 1980 “Mining Man of the Year” Donald E. G. Schmitt – by M.R. Brown

Since 1915, the Northern Miner weekly newspaper has chronicled Canada’s globally significant mining sector.

He knows gold, believes in it and did something about it – especially for Pamour Porcupine Mines (which he heads) and for the entire Timmins-Porcupine district. It is, in part, for this reason that we have chosen Noranda’s senior vice-president – mines. Donald E. G. Schmitt as our Man-of-the-Year.

But his contributions to the mining industry are being felt far beyond the confines of the rejuvenated Timmins camp and include education, mine safety and C.I.M. work.

A dedicated mining engineer who has won his spurs as a hardrock miner, he has played a key role in building up and strengthening Noranda’s far flung mining empire to its present world status.

“He had provided solid leadership for our organization,” says Noranda’s chairman and president, Alfred Powis.

“He basically loves mining, has spent a lifetime at it, and has done one hell of a job at it,” was the panegyric comment of William James, Noranda’s executive vice-president and president of Kerr Addison Mines and long-time business associate.

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The Northern Miner 1985 “Mining Person of the Year” Paul Penna – by M.R. Brown

Since 1915, the Northern Miner weekly newspaper has chronicled Canada’s globally significant mining sector.

The past year has been a dismal one for the Canadian mining industry. Metal prices have remained soft even for gold. Earnings generally are going to down. And so are dividends.

But not for Agnico-Eagle Mines, a company that is fast developing into one of this country’s top ranking gold producers. Its grade, output and earnings are away up and costs way down. And there are dramatic ore developments taking place on its Telbel property. Too, it has just raised its dividend payout.

Behind this success story is an ex-mine promoter turned a top mining executive – Paul Penna, our Mining Man of the Year.

It’s always difficult to single out particular individual from an industry as broad and diversified as mining, for different people have different criteria. But in this case we feel would have come up with the same choice either on the basis of the company’s performance or that or that of the man himself. Both make Cinderella stories.

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