Page A2 Cassiar Courier June 1989 Supplement

Requiem For
by Don Campbell

One day very soon now the
last load of ore will be hauled
out-of sthen pit, the. dra. cand
loaders will shut down and the:
Cassiar Open Pit Asbestos mine
will cease to be. The longest
continuously mined open pit in
B.C. will be a part of our . his-
tory. This ending was’ destined
from the very beginning. Start-
ing at the top of McDame Moun-
tain, at the 6,000 -foot level,
the pit follows the ore steeply
down into an increasingly cons-

trictive hole. The ore body con-
tinues to slope steeply down into
the mountain, then as so often
happens, as the ore grade _ im-
proves it ends abruptly.

Faced with the fact that the
next vein is deeper =<in the
ground, the —Cassiar’ Mining. Cor—

poration unveiled a plan to go

underground to continue their
operation at its present loca-
tion. At the same time, they
began an accelerated mining

program in order to remove and
stockpile as much ore as possible
to utilize in the mill during the
changeover period. Plans to this
end were unveiled in the fall of
1988, and early summer of 1989
was predicated as the deadline
for closeout of the pit. Present
plans include the removal of two
more benches of ore. Ate Enis
point work has been restricted to
two shifts working day light
hours. Spotters, strategically
located, continuously monitor the
north rock face for any visable
rock movement. Electronic radio
monitors have also been installed
on the wall to determine the
slightest movememt. " At this

An Open. Pit

point," a company spokesman said,
“safety will «be ‘the deciding
factor in the closure."

Webster's dictionary defines
amine as apit or excavation
from which ore is removed. My
definition is more complex. A
mine is people; a group of people
who, although individuals in one
sense, form a cohesive group
working towards a common. goal.
In this case, to make a living
for themselves and to make money
for the company. There*-is.~-no
other way - without people, you
have no mine.

The intention of this. arti-
cle was not to dwell on the tech-
nical operation of the mine
whether open pit or underground;
but rather to invite the reader
to review the past happenings
that brought Cassiar to where it
is today, and to provide for you
once more, individuals who were
here when it happened. Ever
since Cassiar was a whisper on
the early gold miners' lips,
individuals have been involved in
moving us to where we are today.
First up~ the’ Stikine* to “buirid
towns that are now only memories;
Laketon, McDame Post, Centreville
and others that are long gone.
Later south from Watson Lake to
Cassiar and finally north from
Hazelton.

Every individual who ever
worked and lived here, should be
able to say "I was here and I
helped make this place." And if,
unfortunately, you were here and
we have overlooked you, you’ can
Stil; (says with apride:."" Ile cknow
these people and I was there and
loam pants -of- “the. “nistory OF
Cassiar". And you will be.

Cassiar Courier June 1989 Supplement

Page A3