Mining, Milling
& Marketing

The mine is situated on top of McDame
mountain, about nine hundred metres above the
town. It is western Canada’s only asbestos
producing mine and since 1952 it has been a major
contributor to British Columbia’s growing economy.

Located in the valley below is the mill, and
between it and the mine there stretches a five
kilometre aerial tramline, an indispensable link in
the continuous production of Cassiar fibre.

The asbestos outcrop at Cassiar was discovered
on the western slope of McDame mountain.
Subsequent exploratory work proved that the ore
zone is large and shaped like a lentil or a big green
onion. The geologists describe it as “massive
lenticular ore body”. It strikes in a northwesterly
direction and dips approximately forty degrees to
the east, extending below the main peak of McDame
mountain which, before the stripping program
began, had an elevation of almost 2,135 metres.