Tom Creighton and David Collins discovered the main lens of the Flin Flon volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposit in 1914. Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Company quickly established a fully-functional mine with one of the largest smelters in Canada. This investment by Hudbay quickly developed Flin Flon into a thriving community.

Hudbay Minerals (Hudbay) has operated in the City of Flin Flon, Manitoba since 1930. Today, Hudbay is still the major employer in the area, and mining is at the heart of the economy.

The metals that attracted the mining industry to Flin Flon naturally occur in the area’s soils. The Flin Flon area is located in the Flin Flon Belt, a Precambrian volcanic belt that was an element of the Trans-Hudson Orogen. The majority of the belt was formed approximately 1.9 billion years ago by aquatic volcanic eruptions; these intense eruptions and multiple episodes of glaciation left us the present unique landscape. This belt is the source of the Flin Flon area’s vast mineral deposits, which are primarily zinc, copper, silver and gold. Flin Flon is close to the Saskatchewan communities of Creighton and Denare Beach, all of which are located within a 20 kilometre area.

Source: City of Flin Flon Official Website