Page 8 September 1981 Cassiar Courier ERICKSON GOLD MINE After a few ‘‘tough breaks’ this summer, Erickson Gold is making plans to continue its expansion program. The ex- pansion of the mill at Erickson was halted until further diamond drilling had been carried out and the results known. Over one million dollars was spent on the drilling program this year. At this point the program is not com- plete. Drilling will continue until freeze—up but so far the results are very encouraging and the company hopes to continue with the mill expansion in the not too distant future. Three and one half miles of tunnel were develop- ed this summer . Erickson now employes 50—60 people in their operation. This number will increase if the ex- pansion goes forward. As well, the capacity of the power plant was doubled with the installation of two new en- gines. The camp improvements started in the spring are now al- most completed. Two new 40 man bunkhouses have been installed as well as the new cook house and recreation building. They now have four television channels as well. When the hydro seeding is done next spring the camp im- provements will be completed. ESSO MINERALS CANADA has been in the area since May 18. They have an option with New Energy who own Erickson Gold Mine and are looking for gold/silver bearing quartz veins. The results of their geochemical, geological and diamond drilling tests are not yet known. UNITED HEARNE The United Hearne (Tarus Project) property is just across the bridge at Quartz Creek and is also managed by Tim Riordan and Trenaman Spencer and Associates are con- tracted here as well. The milling operation here is similar to that at Plaza, except the procedure is completed under one roof. The tailings pond is 1900’ from the mill and the mine adit is only several hundred feet away, making transport- ation a simple matter. The United Hearne mill will be operational at the same time as the Plaza mill. Some of the gold from.-the or- iginal Hanna Gold Mine will be milled as well as new ore from the same area. It is hoped that in future the gold can be poured into bars instead of being shipped as dust. For the time being, Plaza and United Hearne will mill only their own ore, but it is possible they may mill for Cusac and they have the right of first refusal on ore from Table Mountain Mines. MINING IN GASSIAR GOUNTRY ARGOLD MINING COMPANY. Argold Mining Company is owned and operated by Cassiar resident, Oliver Leckie. It consists of two claims, one bought from G. McKie who was a long term employee of Cassiar Resources before his retirement. These claims stretch across the Cassiar highway and across McDame River and measure some 500 meters wide by 1000 meters long each, approximately 160 acres: Last summer Oliver tested his property and this year he is operating. Oliver explained that he is trench mining, which is digging a trench the width of one backhoe bucket, taking the small material and. backfilling with the larger material. He has a grizzly built over the backhoe bucket to facilitate this separation on the spot. Oliver then moves on to the next row, or trench. After he hauls several loads of mat- erial , Oliver sluices this through, then begins again with the trenching. 50 yards of material yields approximately One ounce of gold. Oliver is “hobby mining” and weekends find him with all kinds-of help from family and friends!! McDAME GOLD Another smalk placer operation is McDame Gold. This is: located about two miles east of Centreville on Highway 37. and is owned by two cousins, Bill and Jim Barnes of Prince Rupert and Manitoba. Three people are employed to work day shift only. They began in June and will con- tinue operation until freeze—up. So far things are looking good and the outfit will be back again next year. - SNOWY CREEK PLACER Snowy Creek Placer will be in operation the second week in August upon the arrival of their sluice box. This co- pany has taken out: options on Mary Fente’s property just past the turnoff onto Highway 37. They have been in the area since mid July and plan to stay, operating and prospecting, until freeze—up. The studies aren’t far enough along yet to determine just what future the prop- - erty has, but the company plans to return next year. Gordon Grove and Greg Diemert out of Watson Lake are managing Snowy Creek Placer. ae 2 a \ \ \ 1 ~ ‘ ‘ A c 3. Ss ‘ ry \ oO Quartzrock ,’ we ft >. Cr. t —s. ~A i! . Soar sy » CASSIAR _*. oer . ‘ aa 5 ++. Lae < = - == @~ vate outline Ge; Cth 4, ine's (2) ‘abletop a | Cook & | Lake Mtn. { Simmons, G 14 oF Lakes gf ja sal = ’ x / Ne ' S pret Lake SS : t 1 1 /- GOOD HOPE ' 7 LAKE = - = / NO | LO\CD ia % \ Eville sewer ten ems , me ‘ BOULDER MINING. VENTURES Boulder Mining Ventures has a lease option on the Zimich property. The Company is- actually based in Watson Lake and has another property on Wheaton Creek. The claim is managed by Joe Thompson from Watson Lake. Eight people are employed and they work two 10 hour shifts per day. The company moved onto the prop- erty late in May and went into production recently. ee bs The Boulder Mine is the only placer mine in the area with a grizzly feed hopper. They are presently feeding 800— 1000 yards a shift through the hopper. : 1-Shell Oil; 2-United Hearne; 3-Worth Gold Mining; 4a-Plaza Mining Decline; 4b-Plaza Mill; 4c-Plaza Mining Table Mountain Pit; 5-Snowy Creek Placer; 6-McDame Gold; 7-Boulder Mining Ventures; 8-Klempke & Son; 9-Argold Mining Company; 10-Della Mines; 11-Erickson Gold Mine; 12-Esso Minerals Canada; 13-Kent En- ergy Corporation; 14-Cusac Mining; 15-Gulf Titanium ° THIS “ELUSIVE STUFF” WAS MINED ON THE WORTH PROPERTY KENT ENERGY CORPORATION Another Alberta based company is busy prospecting in the area. Kent Energy Corporation has acquired a 100% interest in 80 gold claims located in the area known as Duff No. 1. This includes the area around Allan Lake and Lighthouse Mountain. Mr. Cyril G. Hayes, Treasurer and Director of Kent Energy Corp. was in town recently and was able to give us some information about his’ company’s activities in the area. ; ; At the moment, three people are working on the claims. They are a consultant geologist from Vancouver, a geo- logy student and a helper. They are prospecting the area and. are basically pleased with their findings to date. As yet the results have not been analysed and an announce- ment concerning the project will be made in the future. i g Kent Energy Corporation is actually -an oil and gas development company. Mr. Hayes informed us that the decision to become involved in other minerals was made on account of the “insane policies of the government” concerning the petroleum industry. Daa The Courier was told that someone has been working in: the area of the old Della Mine this past summer. We were. unable to follow up on this. i Cassiar Courier September 1981 Page 9 WORTH GOLD MINING LTD Worth Gold Mining Ltd. is a small placer operation locat- ed approximately six miles north east of Cassiar. It has two owners, Jim Cebuliak and John Boyko both of Edmonton. The operation is known locally as Territorial because of Mr. Cebuliak’s association with the Territorial group of companies which manufactures industrial camps. The mine is not actually associated with this group. Equipment for the operation was brought in June 22nd and was installed and in production by mid July. Mr. N. Davidovich is the manager of the operation which present- ly employs 11°-people. A camp is set up on Snow Creek. The mine will only stay_in operation until freeze—up, but hopes to be in production again by next May. This is the only mine owned by this company. PLAZA MINING CORPORATION Plaza Mining Corporation is located about six miles north ~east of Cassiar. Tim Riordan is Mine Manager and Rolly Trenaman of Trenaman Spencer. and Associates is under contract to Plaza till the end of 1982 to help them into production. : One mine is tocated on Table Top Mountain and a new 650’ decline was opened this year 80’ under the Riordan home in Quartz Creek. A scoop tram will be used to haul ore from the decline. Ore will be delivered to the mill by truck from the mines. Completion of the mill at a cost of $1.5 million is expect- ed by mid-August. $1.7 million was spent on exploration this year, mainly in the Cassiar Area. The mill at Plaza consists of three buildings joined by conveyor belts a- long which the ore travels to each step of the milling process. j This summer Plaza purchased a Komatsu 455 D cat on a trial basis for the mine. It is hoped that this huge machine will eliminate some of the blasting previously required. There are approximately 70’ of waste still to be stripped from the pit on Table Mountain. Plaza is drilling on their Photo by Hardy Hebig KLEMPKE &SON Klempke & Son Construction Co. Ltd. is now in operation at the Wilms home claims on McDame Creek. They employ 15 people to work two 12 hour shifts per day. Pictures of the operation are not available. This company has the largest sluice box in the area, it is 40‘ long. Klempke is an Alberta based company with head offices in Edmonton. They are mainly involved in removing over- burden at the Tar Sands but with: the depressed state of the oil industry, have branched out into placer mining. GULF TITANIUM Mr. Gil Bret was in the area recently looking at the Mus- tang and Jackpine claims owned by ‘Gulf Titanium. In 1979-80, the B.C. Government did a geo-chemical survey of the area. Their findings led to Gulf doing more pros- pecting on the claims and the results seem to point to a new zinc discovery. The claims will have to be examined more closely to determine the extent of the zinc show- ings. RR KKK Shell Oil Canada has been working on claims optioned from Bill Storie for the past two summers. Results of their findings have not yet been made public. Further informat- ion is not available at this time. own property and for Table Mountain Mines. Approximately 45 people are employed at Plaza. CUSAC INDUSTRIES — oe Cusac Industries Ltd. is a Vancouver based company. Their staked property in the area covers 3600 acres and is located south east of Cassiar on Highway 37. The claims were ‘picked up from Pete Hamlin by:Gil and Fred Bret. ‘The Dino Gold vein, the main vein found to date, was dis- covered in October 1979. This is a brand new vein and is, believed to be the richest ever found in Western Canada. Over the past two summers, extensive drilling and geo- - chemical surveys have been carried out. The company is in _ the process of proofing up the claims. This year alone, 3,000 feet of drilling has been carried out. 3 The camp was. started in July 1980. A portable mill was brought in last year but it was November before it was in- stalled. This year 15-20 people are employed at Cusac. A strip mining operation exposed the Dino vein and the ore has been brought down and stockpiled ready to be milled. There is still a good-portion of the vein to be mined. The drilling program is proving up good, wide veins. Assay results are not yet back but if all goes as planned, Cusac would like to develop an underground mine by this fall.