In 1856, prospecting revealed the mining potential of the Mingan Islands area, near the Romaine river. It was only in 1941, however, that the presence of ilmenite on this part of Quebec’s North Shore was confirmed following exploration work carried out by the Quebec ministry of mining.

In June 1946, after two years of intensive drilling by Kennco Explorations, the Canadian subsidiary of Kennecott Copper, an immense ilmenite deposit was discovered in the Allard lake area, near a small lake that would be named Lac Tio. Located 43 km northeast of Havre-Saint-Pierre, this would be the largest ilmenite deposit in the world.