production (primarily copper and zinc with lesser gold and silver). Since the late 1910s, approximately 17 mines have operated in the Flin Flon vicinity. The most recent mine, the 777 Mine, closed in June 2022 with decommissioning expected to be completed by September 2022. Sphalerite (zinc) concentrate was produced and processed on-site to refined zinc while chalcopyrite (copper) concentrate was produced and sold for external copper production. Prior to the smelter closure in 2010, the chalcopyrite concentrate was refined on location. Although processing of any sulphide material usually emits large amounts of sulfur dioxide, the Hudbay plant uses a zinc pressure leaching (ZPL) process which greatly reduces emissions. Marijuana production Flin Flon gained international notoriety in 2002 when the Government of Canada awarded a four-year contract to Saskatoon-based Prairie Plant Systems for the production of medicinal marijuana. The company set up operations in a mined-out area of the then-active Trout Lake Mine, an underground copper/zinc mine located just over 5 km northeast of Flin Flon city limits and owned by the Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Company (later Hudbay) to produce approximately 400 kilograms (882 lbs) of medicinal marijuana annually. The entire operation was situated approximately 120 metres underground for security and climate control reasons. In 2009, Prairie Plant Systems discontinued operation at the mine due to the expiry of their lease and the uncertainty regarding the pending closure of the mine, which occurred in 2011. Culture Arts Flin Flon has an active local arts & culture scene. The Flin Flon Arts Council has been instrumental in building the local arts scene of late, and has also brought high-quality performers, such as the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, into the community for special events. The R.H. Channing Auditorium in the Flin Flon Community Hall often hosts concerts and theatrical performances, including those produced by the local theatre troupe "Ham Sandwich". In 2010, the Northern Visual Arts Centre (or NorVA) was established as a studio and gallery space for local visual artists. NorVA frequently hosts workshops, concerts and other community arts-based events. Every two years, the Flin Flon Community Choir performs a largely extravagant musical production for the community. In 2013, the Flin Flon Community Choir presented Chicago: The Musical, to great acclaim. In 2015, they presented Les Miserables, Grease in 2017, and Mama Mia in 2019. Past performances have included Beauty and the Beast, Fiddler on the Roof, and Bombertown, among many