Cominco started in 1906 as The Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada, formed by the amalgamation of several units controlled by the Canadian Pacific Railway. The company changed its name to Cominco in 1966. Cominco's core Sullivan mine, which began production in 1909, would operate for more than 90 years until its ore reserves were exhausted in 2001.
Teck began as The Teck-Hughes Gold Mines Limited in 1913, to develop a gold discovery by prospectors Sandy McIntyre and James Hughes at Kirkland Lake. The Teck-Hughes mine was in production for 50 years until 1965. Teck purchased the Beaverdell mine in 1969. This silver mine was first explored in 1898 and was in production until 1991.
The association between Teck and Cominco began in 1986, when Teck and two industry partners acquired a shareholding from CP Limited. Teck and Cominco merged in July 2001.
The company’s legal name will remain “Teck Cominco Limited” until the next Annual General Meeting in April 2009. At that AGM, subject to the approval of shareholders, the company proposes to change the legal name to “Teck Resources Limited”. However, effective immediately, the brand of the company will be simply “Teck”.