In the summer of 1970, a far-sighted geologist named David Barr led a prospecting party to the coast of northern Labrador. A decade and a half later, two government geologists, Bruce Ryan and Dan Lee, recognized the mineral potential of the Voisey’s Bay area.

Prospectors looking for diamonds discover the Voisey's Bay Deposit in Labrador, Canada. September 1993 - Discovered by Al Chislett and Chris Verbiski.

A large nickel deposit was discovered in hills along the western shore of the bay in September 1993 by Archean Inc.,[1] a prospecting firm hired by Diamond Fields Resources Inc.. This deposit is considered to be one of the most substantial mineral discoveries in Canada in the last 40 years and is estimated to contain 141 million tonnes at 1.6% nickel. [2]

1996

Two rival companies battled for the attention of the colourful financier, Robert Friedland, who controlled Voisey’s Bay. The winner was the International Nickel Company (Inco) Ltd

Inco Limited acquired 100 per cent ownership of Diamond Fields Resources Inc. for Cnd $4.3 billion.

Currently the mining rights for the Voisey's Bay nickel deposit belong to the Toronto-headquartered Vale Inco company, a subsidiary of CVRD, the largest mining and metals company in the Western Hemisphere.

Since the discovery of the Voisey's Bay deposit, efforts have been stepped up to find similar deposits in coastal Labrador

MacDonald Mines Partners with Co-Discoverer of Voisey’s Bay

Toronto, Ontario –May 01, 2008; MacDonald Mines Exploration Ltd. (TSXV:BMK) (“MacDonald”) and 1289839 ALBERTA LTD (“Alberta Ltd.”), an Alberta corporation, and wholly owned subsidiary of Coordinates Capital Corporation (“CCC”), owned and operated by Chris Verbiski, and VP Morton Verbiski, are pleased to announce that they have entered into a Letter of Agreement pursuant to which MacDonald has agreed to acquire a 60% undivided right, title and interest in a new land position in the James Bay Lowlands. The new property, “Wellington West” consists of approximately 528 unpatented claim units totalling approximately 8,250 hectares southwest of, and directly contiguous to the Wellington Property in the “Ring of Fire”, Northern Ontario, near Noront’s prolific nickel-copper-PGE discovery.