IN MEMORIAM: Hemlo legend Don McKinnon dies

Legendary prospector and co-discoverer of the Hemlo gold camp Don McKinnon died in hospital on Aug. 9, 2012. He was 83.

McKinnon’s name will always be linked with that of his partner John Larche. Together they staked what was to become Canada’s fourth largest gold camp in 1981. The three gold mines at Hemlo – Williams, David Bell and Golden Giant (the latter now closed) – have produced more than 25 million oz.

McKinnon was born and raised in Cochrane, ON, but moved to Timmins in 1956 where he made his home ever since. From Timmins he prospected from shore to shore to shone on Canadian soil as well as in the United States.

Hemlo made McKinnon a wealthy  man, but he had also struck it rich in the mid-1960s near Timmins during the rush that led to creation of the Kidd Creek copper-zinc mine.

His accomplishments were acknowledged in 1983 when he was named one of the PDAC’s prospectors of the year, and awarded the Order of Canada in 1996. He was also awarded a Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2002. In May 2012, he was given the key to his home city, Timmins.

For all the wealth northern Ontario gave him, McKinnon became a tireless advocate for the north. His interests ranged from politics, the northern economy, to the need to preserve the region’s unique way of life. His philanthropy extended to children’s hockey, hospitals, and support for those struggling in the community and the bush. His enthusiasm and passion for the rocks and the life of northern Ontario never faltered.

McKinnon is survived by his wife, three sons and two daughters.