Yukon who is who

Andrew James “Jim” McFaull (1952 - 2012)

Jim McFaull was born in Regina, Saskatchewan and grew up in Winnipeg.¹⁾ He earned a geology degree from the University of British Columbia in 1974.²⁾

McFaull was an exploration geologist for United Keno Hill Mines (UKHM) in the 1970s and was responsible for the development of the Galkeno Open Pit mine. In 1981, he was the underground mine geologist at Venus Mine. He and many others lost their jobs in the economic downturn in 1982. He spent that winter driving a scoop tram in an underground mine in the Sixtymile Mining District.³⁾ Elsa resumed operations in 1983 and McFaull was called back to work, this time as United Keno Hill’s senior geologist in charge of exploration. Tax incentives allowed an expanded ability to explore and develop mineral deposits into working mines. Six of the targets he had previously prospected, developed and drilled, went into production. They included Silver King Underground, Ruby Offset, Hector 3 & 4 Open Pit, Flame and Moth Open Pit, Black Cap Open Pit, and Bellekeno Underground. The two best mines were Silver King and Bellekeno which were still operating when the company fell victim to rising costs and falling silver prices.⁴⁾

In 1987, McFaull was tired of bunkhouse living and he transferred to the Whitehorse office to manage the Dawson Lode project. He was chasing the Mother Lode and the company staked about 1,200 quartz claims in the Klondike goldfields. In November 1989 McFaull became acting exploration manager just as the Elsa Mine was closing. A new exploration budget was expected in the spring but it did not materialize when the federal government cancelled the flow-through program that drove mine development. Silver prices dropped below the $8 US profitable level and McFaull was laid off with the loss of government funding. He did not get to do anything in his new job but shut down the mine.⁵⁾

McFaull started exploring independently and in 1991 he researched and staked the Aurex gold property in the Mayo Mining District. Yukon Revenue invested and carried on a large drill program that resulted in good numbers. McFaull then turned his eyes towards the Klondike.⁶⁾ In February 2000, McFaull wrote a fifty-page report on mining law, land issues, and property rights. He argued that miners’ rights were being eroded by conflicting legislation and regulations and a discretionary system of revocable permits and licenses.⁷⁾ In 2005, McFaull was working to develop the Hunker Creek hardrock mineral claims he acquired in July 2002. Dasher Exploration invested heavily in the property believing that McFaull had located the Mother Lode, a search that had captivated McFaull ever since his involvement with UKHM’s Dawson Lode project.⁸⁾

Jim McFaull was a Fellow of the Geological Association of Canada and past-president and long-time director of the Yukon Chamber of Mines and the Yukon Prospector’s Association.⁹⁾ Jim McFaull was posthumously given the Yukon Prospector of the Year Award in 2012.