In 1927 two Fraser Lake residents, Charles Foote and Alfred Langley found many fragments of mineralized boulders scattered along a ridge 8.5 kilometres southwest of a village called Endako. The two men had come to hunt - they stayed to strike claims. Later they sank an 8 metre shaft in a quartz molybdenite vein and drove a short adit below the shaft. But 30 years passed before sufficient exploration revealed the presence of a major ore body and before the space-age demand for molybdenum made development an economic possibility.

Endako Mines Ltd. (N.P.L.) was incorporated in June, 1962 and in August of the same year Placer Development Limited, a predecessor company of Placer Dome Inc., entered into an option agreement with Endako.

Clearing and construction began in March, 1964 and the project was completed in May, 1965 after an expenditure of some $22 million. The mine had progressed from its first drill hole to commencement of mill production in slightly more then three years.



Mill output increased gradually to a rate of 16,000 tonnes per day in 1967. Later the same year, an expansion of mining facilities increased capacity to 24,000 tonnes per day. By 1980 improved production methods had increased mill output to 28,000 tonnes per day.

In 1971 Endako Mines Ltd. (N.P.L.) amalgamated with Placer Devolpment Limited and eventually became a division of Placer Dome Canada Limited. As a result of poor worldwide economic conditions and deterioration in global molybdenum markets, operations at Endako were suspended in 1982, although Endako maintained a continuous supply of product from inventory. Mining and concentrating were resumed at reduced capacity in 1986. By early 1989 mining and milling had returned to full production of 28,000 tonnes per day.

Thompson Creek Mining Ltd. and Nissho Iwai Moly Resources Inc. formed a joint venture and acquired the operations from Placer Dome in 1997.