Steve Halabura
1. What is your name? Please feel free to include any known nicknames held during Ore Gangue Days.
My name is Steve Halabura but during Ore Gangue years I was known as “Big Steve” – perhaps because I weighed 500 lbs.
2. What year did you graduate and/or leave the Ore Gangue?
The first time was 1980 (B.Sc.), the second was 1983 (M.Sc.).
3. What were your favorite class and/or professor?
Dr. Willi Braun, because of his philosophy, and Dr. Dave Mossman because of his mining stories.
4.Were you ever a member of the Executive, if so, which one?
I was always too “busy” (see answer to next question) to take any sort of serious responsibility for anything.
5. Did you ever win any Ore Gangue awards?
Blue Goose 1982 and 1983. I won the second one 10 minutes after accepting the first. Too “busy” to win other, less-prestigious awards. I am also very proud of the Cactus Drilling Scholarship, in 1980 worth 2 tables of draft.
6. What is your favorite “PG rated” memory of the Ore Gangue (award, field trip, conference, lounge, party, etc)?
Seeing Guy Royer win the Blue Goose in 1980 – he was my role model (see answer to 5 above).
7. If you could be a rock, what kind would you be and why?
This is easy - a rock star, of course!
8. What type of beer did you drink during your good old days?
I was not particularly fussy - Whatever was served at the Apollo Room, the Senator, the Barry or the Albany.
9. If you could sum up your university career with one bar, which one would it be?
See above. Not necessarily in the order stated.
10. Did you attend any WIUGCs? Did you ever present anything at a WIUGC?
Vaguely the WIUGC in Winnipeg 1982. 50 below and shirt torn off back. Vicious security guards. North Main. Evil dudes with broken beer bottles, looking for fresh liver. Stairwells teeming with the undead…
11. What was the best Ore Gangue event ever?
See above. Nuff said.
12. Which member of the boat race team are you?
Sorry, I am not a fan of water sports.
13. Do you have any advice for the young geoscientists out there?
To paraphrase an old philosophy prof, “Go forth bravely in this beautiful but burning world”.
14. If you had to do it all over again, would you?
Next time more stout and less lager.
15. What is your current job description, aka who do you work for (and does it keep beer on the table)?
Founder, president, CEO, (all things to all people) of Saskatoon-based North Rim Exploration Ltd., geoscience and mining engineering services (big-time potash) since 1984. Founder, president of Prairie Hunter Energy Corp., Regina-based light conventional oil explorer in SE Sask. since 2007.
16. Who would you love to see attend the 75th Reunion, and why?
All Blue-Goose alumni, including my mentor Guy Royer. Maybe Vic Noble too.
