Mining began near Sudbury in 1886. When the first batch of Sudbury ore was poured from a furnace in a New Jersey refinery R.M. Thompson manager of the Orford Copper and Nickel Company knew he was in trouble. The metal was not suitable for sale to his copper customers. An analysis was made and he found that it contained nickel. Thompson began experimental work to discover a more economical method of nickel - copper separation than a wet process which cost more than the metals could be sold for. Finally someone suggested trying sodium sulphate, since he had seen this material used in copper refining in Scotland.
Accordingly, sodium sulphate was added to the partially refined nickel-copper ore in the furnace. When the molten material was poured into pots, cooled and dumped out on the floor, it was found that something unusual had happened. There was a distinct difference between the top and bottom parts of the cones of metal, and these could be broken clean apart with a sledge hammer. The bottom was bright sulphide which proved to be mostly nickel sulphide. The top was mostly copper sulphide. This was the beginning of the Orford process of nickel-copper separation which was used for many years.