THE HIRE 1S THREE MILES NORTH OF THE MILL, ON A SPUR OF
McDaMe MOUNTAIN, AT AN ELEVATION OF 6,000 FEET. IT 1S CONNECTED TO THE
MILL BY A THREE-MILE AERIAL TRAMLINE AND SIX MILES OF ACCESS ROADS.
MINING 19 BY OPEN PIT METHOOS. THE ORE 1S BLASTED IN 30-FOOT DENCHES,
LOADED WITH POWER SHOVELS, TRUCKED TO A PRE-CONCENTRATIGN PLANT AND
TRANSPORTED TO THE MILL BY TRAMLINE, SUPPLEMENTED BY TRUCKS, AS REQUIRED.
STRIPPING WASTE ON THE HANGING WALL SIDE OF THE OREBODY IS MINED IN
30-FOOT SENCHES BELOW AN ELEVATION OF 6,650 FEET AND TRUCKED FO ADJACENT
DUMPING AREAS. IN SPITE OF THE EXPOSED LOCATION AND THE NORTHERN CLIMATE,

THE MINE AND MILL ARE OPERATED CONTINUOUSLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

2, EARLY HISTORY OF THE AREA

.

THe CASSIAR DISTRICT HAS BEEN ACCESSIBLE FROM THE COAST AT
LEAST stnce 1861, WHEH PLACER GOLD WAS MINED ON THE STIKINE River. IN
1872, PLACER GOLD WAS DISCOVERED ON THIBERT CREEK, AT THE NORTH END OF
" DEASE LAKE ANO SHORTLY THEREAFTER ON McDame CreEEKe PLACER MINING HAS
BEEN CARRIEO UN INTERMITTENTLY EVER SINCE. IN 1942, — ALASKA Hicnway
WAS BUILT. Up TO THIS TIME ONLY DEPOSITS RICH IN GOLD ANO SILVER WERE
ECONOMIC. THE PRESENCE OF ASBESTOS IN THE AREA WAS KNOWN BUT WAS
CONSIDERED ONLY A MINERALOGICAL CURIOSITY. G.M. Dawson MENTIONED ASBESTOS
IN THE AREA IN HIS 1888 REPORT. IN 1947, MoccAsIN Mines LIMITED, A PLACER
DREDGING COMPANY, BUILT A 68-—MILE ‘TRUCK ROAD TO McDame Creex FROM MILE 648
ON THE ALASKA HicHwaye On June 30, 1950, Four PRosPEecTORS. Victor SITTLER,
Hiram Netson ANO THE Kirk BrotHERS STAKEO THE Cassar DEPOSIT. THIS WAS
SUBSEQUENTLY ACQUIRED BY ConwestT ExpLoraATion Company Limiteo; tHe CASSIAR
Asbestos CORPORATION WAS FORMED; ok ROAD WAS EXTENDED 18 MILES AND

PRODUCTION STARTED WITH A I150-TON MILL oN 1953.