File contains photographs documenting the construction of Cassiar's new mill building. Photos depict early excavation, foundations, framework, construction of all seven stories, sheeting, siding, and roof tarring. Also included are photos depicting the large model of the mill, as well as construction work done on the tramline. Photos taken inside the mill depict flooring work, and milling machinery including feed chutes, screens, fans, wheelabrators, control panels, electrical panels, conveyor systems, vacuum systems, and the fan-driven air system that transported the fiber. Many photos depict construction workers, building supplies, worksites, and equipment including cranes, bulldozers, tractors, hauling trucks and trailer flatbeds. Some photos depict aerial views from the new mill and feature the plantsite, tramline, mine road, mountains, and valley.
Photographs depict different construction projects at separate locations in Cassiar. Photographs were originally housed in envelopes with the following annotations: "POLICE STATION. July 15, 1977."; "Aggregates and Concrete (PERMASTEEL)"; "Fibre Storage and Handling"; "Powerhouse Expansion"; "Sewage Collection Plant."; "Sewage Treatment Plant"; "Single Person Accommodations - Site Work."; "Outside Work - Camp Nos. 1,2,3." Photos generally feature the work sites, supplies, vehicles, machinery, and work in progress at each location.
Additional photographs integrated into file include maintenance project on lining of tubes, lining of aspiration hood, and lining of willow fiberizer. Also five photographs of maintenance in the townsite to fix in ground piping.
Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd opened a second mine in 1967 at what became the one-industry town of Clinton Creek, Y.T. File contains photographs depicting progressive construction of buildings at the Clinton Creek mine, plant, townsite and powerhouse. Mine photos depict the crusher site and tramline station. Plant photos depict the dryer, fibre storage, mill, service, vault, and office buildings, as well as the dry rock storage tunnel, reclaim tunnel, and loading dock. Construction living quarters are depicted as well as the construction of residences at the townsite. The power house was built south of the town and plant, on the shore of the 40 Mile River. Some annotations describe the type of material being used for construction.
Photo depicts workers at construction site of Cassiar's new mill building.
Subseries consists of photographic material pertaining to the following subject areas: mine operations; plant operations;labour strike 1970s images; townsite operations of the company towns of Cassiar and Clinton Creek (including community activities associated therein and townsite development); as well as, images of mines not owned by Cassiar Asbestos Corporation, but which are believed to have been used for operational research purposes.
File contains images relating to Incident & Accident Investigations and Occurrences. The photographs are grouped into sets relating to separate incidents.
File contains photographs related primarily to the following subject areas: personnel vehicle accidents, mine vehicle accidents, workplace accidents, fires, and rock falls in the pit mine.
Identified objects include Euclid ore hauling trucks, Wabco ore haulage trucks, drill rigs, derailed train car, Clark forklift, dump trucks, twisted steel girder, and cat machine.
Locations identified include the townsite, mill building, pit mine, tramline, railroad, the powerhouse, the plantsite, and the underground mine.
The following is abbreviated description of the incidents documented in this file:
- Photos and negatives of a rock slide in the pit mine, a flooding creek, a house severely damaged by fire, a parking lot in Cassiar, and what are speculated to be oil drums.
- Various of Finning Tractor and equipment damage incidents, one occurred on 2 July 1981 because of HOS blade, another in Nov, 1987, and another in Oct. 1986. Also Euclid accidents, of which one occurred 29 May 1987
- Photos of split fibre bags in snow, a damaged brown car in Cassiar parking lot, various Blast Hole Drill accidents, of which one occurred in pit in September 1985, and another planned blast that failed to detonate - powergel 'A' slurry failure on 10 June 1985.
- a derailed train, and a young woman measuring damaged steel trellis.
- Photos of Drill #707 fallen over in bank, a broken haulage truck, a fire damaged truck, and of Drill and Wzbco accident, #650 Haulage Truck accident on Oct. 24, 1990, and another accident near gas pump area involving truck on 5 Feb. 1987.
- Photos of damaged tramline after avalanche with annotated envelope "Bill Zemenchick", a set of photos showing tramline trackrope incident in 1986, and a derailed tramline carts in discharge area on 6 October 1986.
- Photos of Pressure Packer Accumulator Failure from the Plantsite in 1986, incident neraby Fibre Storage building involving #872 Forklift during 80s, another incident involving the #489 Hydraulic Shovel in the Mine during 80s.
- Photos of broken windshield and overloaded bucket on 30 April 1985, a screw gun malfunction caused by outlet having 600v power source in 1985, incident caused injury.
- Photos of "G" conveyor accident in April 1988, equipment damage in Underground mine in 1990, damaged screens in Mill, malfunctioning blade incident 11 Jan. 1992.
- Photos of Cat Engine cracking, damaged garbage truck, Haulage Truck engine failure on 27 Oct. 1986, Truck #84 backed into trench on 17 Oct. 1990, a loader that caught fire 21 June 1989, a grader accident on 21 Nov. 1985, and Haul track #59 broken tie rod that caused significant equipment damage.
- Photos of a fuel oil spill on 11 June 1990 in the Cassiar valley around plantsite.
- Photos of ground failure in Cassiar open pit 22 June 1988, 5 May 1987, and 2 Sept. 1987.
- Photos of damaged tires and damaged cart, a panfeeder accident in trench, shovel accidents on 6 March 1986 and 15 November 1986, Cylinder rod accident on 7 March 1986, manhole incident 9 April 1984, snow damage to building 29 March 1982, another loader engine fire on 3 Sept. 1987, and a broken tail light on 6 April 1988.
- Photos of accident in Underground mine when drilling piece of shotcrete fell on 20 June 1991, incident of disconnecting sling from chute causing damage on 4 July 1990, and accident in open pit of machinery going off road on 14 January 1988.
- Photos of Mine Garage Parts-room fire collection; 18 January 1986, also included are two photographs of a Euclid truck - kept with collection of context. Truck could have been used to transport debris.
- Important collection of three photographs of scoop tram sabotage incident - "foul play" on 15 June 1990. The Scoop tram was used in the underground mine.
Some of the above accidents involved personnel and therefore access is restricted - See Archivist for accessibility.
File contains 20 slides date stamped between July and August 1976 and annotated “TRAILER SERVICE SUMMER 1976", depicting the construction and renovation of a mobile home, excavations, and structures believed to be wells or water boxes. File also contains 9 additional slides with no annotations, depicting mobile home and houses in winter. These 9 images are associated with materials dated Nov. – Dec. 1976 and it is likely that these photographs were taken in the winter of 1975-1976.
File contains images depicting various landslides near Cassiar BC. Set of 20 photographs (with 9 corresponding negative strips) date stamped June 1987 depict landslide near creek and dirt road with a Cassiar company truck. Set of 5 black and white photographs found in envelope marked "D. Stewart" are likely from 1988-1989 and depict a rockslide on the south western side of the pit mine, near the tramline. Album entitled “6200 DUMP SLIDE / SPRING, 1979” contains 34 photographs depicting aerial shots of a massive rockslide on the eastern slope of McDame Mountain, originating from the mine waste dump. Several images from album show greenish water pooling in the toe of the slide.
File contains images of mine operations and construction, as well as a variety of other subjects.
- Elements of the underground mine are depicted, including miners working, the marked rock face, yellow ducting and ventilation fan, the portal, mesh rockbolted onto adit walls, shotcrete being applied, and stacked mining construction materials.
- Mining equipment depicted in this file includes underground ore haulage truck, Wabco ore haulage truck, jackleg drill, stoper drill, scoop tram, jumbo drill, conveyor, pickup trucks, unidentified mixing or grinding machine, a cable wagon and half constructed ore haulage truck in the shop, and a continuous miner (also known as alpine miner or roadheader).
- A set of images show a dozer and a lowbed truck transporting a temporary building down the pit mine access road.
- Several images depict drill core fragments, asbestos ore, and geological features of the mine.
- Mining related process are depicted, including a young man sluicing and panning, a mine building under construction, and an unidentified steel frame structure with a hydraulic device suspended on a rail.
- A set of images shows a railway or highway construction project, including stockpile of construction materials, rail cars, caboose, locomotive, front end loader, dump truck, concrete mixing trucks, semi-trucks, and a rail car with large steel drums which are speculated to be specialized for tunnel construction.
- Further images show what is speculated to be tunnel construction.
- A set of images at a high ceiling underground mine which is not Cassiar depicts a man in a suite by a underground ore haulage truck, and other mining vehicles including a crane.
- A set of images depict an ungulate herd, possibly bighorn sheep, on a mountain side.
- The file includes several images which depict personal life, presumably from a family vacation, and access to these images may be restricted. These images depict man with children on a fishing trip, adults and children around a pool, a woman on a motorcycle, and a house and kitchen. Several groups of images are contained in envelopes annotated with dates and “K. Minty”.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar plantsite behind tailings pile in foreground. Mine road runs north though valley bellow mine, strip mining barely visible in background. Photograph was taken from above, facing north.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar mine. North peak featured in left background, South peak in right background, and West peak in right foreground. Area to left of the mining pit and West peak was called the "cirque waste dump." Location of new mine garage can be seen just above the "#7 switchback" road in bottom right foreground.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar mine. North peak featured in left background, South peak in right background, and West peak in right foreground. Area to left of the mining pit and West peak was called the "cirque waste dump." Mountain range visible in distance.
Photograph depicts the pit mine, and road in valley below. Town of Cassiar can be seen in distance at foot of south mountain range.
Photograph depicts the pit mine, and road in valley below. Town of Cassiar can be seen in distance at foot of south mountain range.
Photograph depicts view of pit mine, taken facing east. Town of Cassiar can be seen in distance at foot of south mountain range. Photograph was taken from the air, portion of plane visible in top left of image.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar mine, switchback road in foreground, mountain range in background. Pit is visible behind the West peak. The new mine garage can be seen on West peak just above "#7 switchback" in centre of image.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar mine, switchback road in foreground, mountain range in background. Pit is visible behind the West peak. The new mine garage can be seen on West peak just above "#7 switchback" in centre of image.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar mine, switchback road in foreground, mountain range in background. Pit is visible behind the West peak. The new mine garage can be seen on West peak just above "#7 switchback" in centre of image. Photograph was taken from the air, portion of plane visible in top left of image.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar mine, switchback road in foreground, mountain range in background. Pit is visible behind the West peak. The new mine garage can be seen on West peak just above "#7 switchback" in centre of image.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar mine, switchback road in foreground, mountain range in background. Pit is visible behind the West peak. The new mine garage can be seen on West peak just above "#7 switchback" in centre of image. Photograph was taken from the air, portion of plane visible in top left of image.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar mine, switchback road in foreground, mountain range in background. Pit is visible to right of West peak. The new mine garage can be seen on West peak just above "#7 switchback" in centre of image.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar mine in left area of mountain range. The new mine garage can be seen on West peak on far left.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar mine in mountain range. Crushing plant and tramline station visible in foreground, and new mine garage can be seen on West peak on far left.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar mine to right of mine valley, north mountain range in background. Tramline station visible on west of open pit, and the new mine garage can be seen behind the West peak.
Photograph depicts benches after strip mining at Cassiar. Drill visible in distance, ore haul trucks on road in foreground.
Image of man seated with shovel in mountainous area, loose asbestos fibre in background. This photograph is believed to be either a double exposure of two images, or a print made from two negatives at once. Photo depicts an unidentified man sitting on the south ridge of the Cassiar ore body, where the crusher and rock reject plant would eventually sit. Valley in background appears to depict the "Footwall Road," which was cut into the mountain from the pit to the crusher plant and became the mine's main haul road.
Photograph depicts what appears to be a small model of projected bench mining on McDame mountain. The model stands outdoors on small wood table, car partially visible in background. Annotation printed in border on verso of photograph: "1955."
Photograph depicts two men standing to left of Fred Murray on balcony of large building or structure speculated to be in the Cassiar valley. Portion of log structure in left foreground, man and hauling trucks on road in background.
Photograph depicts shovel loading Kenworth haul truck in mine. Unknown man stands on left, mountain range in background.
Photograph depicts buildings near West Peak of Cassiar mine. Haul trucks parked near old mine garage in background, new mine garage and unknown buildings in foreground. Mine valley crosses midground, expansive western mountain range in background.
Photograph depicts unknown man driving bulldozer on edge of mine area at high elevation. The dozer is an International model TD24 (manufactured between 1947 and 1955). A second man stands on edge of cliff, directing driver. Expansive mountain range in background.
Photograph depicts unknown man driving bulldozer on edge of mine area at high elevation. The dozer is an International model TD24 (manufactured between 1947 and 1955). A second man stands on edge of cliff, directing driver. Mountain range in background.
Photograph depicts unknown men driving bulldozers on edge of mine area at high elevation. Dozers are Internationals, model TD24 (manufactured between 1947 and 1955). Mountain range in background.
Photograph depicts unknown men driving bulldozers on edge of mine area at high elevation. Dozers are Internationals, model TD24 (manufactured between 1947 and 1955). Valley and mountain range in background.
Photograph depicts unknown man driving bulldozer near edge of mine area at high elevation. Dozer is an International model TD24 (manufactured between 1947 and 1955). Valley and mountain range in background.
Photograph depicts cable-operated shovel loading Kenworth haul truck on road in mine area at high elevation. Pickup truck in background, four unidentified men are gathered around second Kenworth truck in foreground. Valley and mountain range in distance.
Photograph depicts cable-operated shovel loading two Kenworth haul trucks on road in mine area at high elevation. Three unidentified men are gathered around truck in foreground. Valley and mountain range in distance.
Photograph depicts unknown man driving bulldozer on edge of mine area at high elevation. Mine road can be seen below leading to Cassiar plant in background on left, townsite visible on right. South mountain range in distance. Handwritten annotation on verso of photograph: "1961".
Photograph depicts unknown man driving bulldozer in foreground. Shop area in background, numerous haul trucks and dozers throughout. Old mine garage can be seen in center behind dozer, and the mine's West Peak rises on right behind shop buildings. Mountain range in background. Handwritten annotations on recto of photograph: "Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Limited. Cassiar B.C. Mining asbestos ore elevation approx 6000 ft. above sea level. McDame mountain, Northern British Columbia"; "Toronto Set"; "D - 336"; "-4 1/2 -". What appears to be framing measurements are annotated on verso.
Photograph depicts bulldozers, car, and fuel tanks in front of two-door garage on edge of mine area. Unidentified machinery can be seen behind garage. Mine valley crosses midground, western mountain range in background. What appears to be framing measurements are annotated on verso.
Photograph depicts two blasthole drills on bench in mine, old garage visible in centre background. Snow-covered mountain range in background.
Photograph depicts two men in front of three large trucks believed to be used for ore haulage. Mountains in background. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "Int. Harvester Payhaulers Model 95 / Left: R.R. [Kiresan?] Equipment Supt. / Right: C.E. Bronson Asst. Gen. Supt.", on verso: "1961".
Photograph depicts ore haul truck on road in mine area, mountain wall in background. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "Int. Harvester Payhauler Model 95", on verso: "1961".
Photograph depicts ore haul truck at dump in mine, mountain range in background. Photo also features driver and a second unidentified man standing in front of truck. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "Int. Harvester Payhauler Model 95 dumping stripping waste at 6565 Elevation", on verso: "1961".
Photograph depicts ore haul truck at dump in mine, driver visible, mountain range in background. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "Kenworth - Model 802 dumping stripping waste at 6565 Elevation", on verso: "1961".
Photograph depicts benches from strip mining operations at the Cassiar mine. Haul trucks and equipment believed to be used for explosive purposes can be seen in mine. Shop and mountain range visible in background. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "Cassiar, BC / June 1970 / by Tom Kiefer". Image consists of three photographic prints adhered together to form one comprehensive panoramic.
Valley and mountain range visible in background. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "Cassiar June 1970 / Looking South to 6200 Switch-back -".
Photograph depicts shovel loading Wabco haul truck on right. A second haul truck and an unidentified vehicle can be seen on far left. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "Cassiar BC / June 1970 / 1400 on 6200 level / by T Kiefer".
Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "Bill Giachino & 'Sam' June 1970 / #4 / 74% / by Tom Kiefer".
Photograph depicts truck at reject plant in foreground. Mine road can be seen leading to plant in centre background, town in right background. South mountain range visible in distance. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "June 1970 / Looking South across Rock Reject Tailings / Note Southern direction of conveyor [?] towards No 1 Gully. Tom Kiefer".