Photographs depict aerial views of the Cassiar townsite, plantsite, tailings pile, mine road, bench and pit mine, mine buildings (tramline loading station, crusher, shop, and garage), and surrounding mountain range. Here "aerial" refers to photos depicting a large area and taken from the air or from a high point of elevation.
The file contains eight photographs depicting close up images of three rock samples, some photographed with a ruler for scale. One of the rock samples is speculated to be obsidian and the other two are likely serpentine. The images where originally found in an envelope titled "ROCKS" and are likely dated around 1991.
Included in this file are an five photographs of rocks on a shelf, which may be asbestos sample rocks. There are five accompanying negatives to these photographs and are likely dated around 1977. The photographs and negatives were found in an envelope labelled "Negatives - CIMM Photos."
Additionally two negative strips of geology maps of Canada. These negatives were found in an envelope labelled "Negatives - CIMM Papers, Mining, Planning, Geology."
File contains images depicting the underground mine at Cassiar, showing structural damages, repaired damage ground support, and mining and repair processes.
The file contains a photo inventory entitled “Underground Mine Structural Inspection, Rock Mechanics Dept. Foto Documentation” with a complete file inventory linking the picture number to a location, title, and dated film. This photographic documentation was assembled for the purposes of liaising with a underground mining consultant located in South Africa.
- Images document structural ground support including steel cables, support arches, metal mesh, shotcrete, rockbolts, wooden beams.
- Images show ground support damaged through ground movement, but some depict newly installed or repaired support.
- Images depict ventilation ducting that was crushed or torn.
- Mining processes depicted include miners installing a rock breaker, miners paving the adit floor with concrete, miners inspecting a damaged section of mine, miner loading drill or blastholes with ANFO (ammonium nitrate / fuel oil mixture) explosives, and long hole drilling.
- Technical elements of the underground mine depicted include a mining device and ore in a chute (annotated ‘1290 crusher’), the conveyor, ‘LH drill’, ore processing machine annotated ‘1350 breaker’, and an electrical box titled ‘Weighometer’.
- Specific locations shown include ore draw points, ore passes, access drifts, a hatch and door titled “Fuel station 1415”, and a dead end drift with a stack of equipment and an orange cable annotated “1335 access electrical stations”.
This file includes two major photographic collections concerning the construction and development of the underground mine at Cassiar, title the McDame Project.
The first collection includes fifteen monthly progress reports documenting the development from July 1988 to December 1989. The progress reports are authored by G. Verret, and were distributed to the executives of Cassiar Asbestos in Vancouver as well officials of the B.C. Government and other creditors of the Corporation. Most images are annotated and dated. Many of the loose photographs are accompanied by an inventory sheet.
Subjects depicted include: the staging area prior to mine development, the initial development of the “Vent Portal”, a jumbo drill working on the mine face, the working face marked for drilling and wired with fuses, a Caterpillar dozer clearing snow after an avalanche, scene of a fire in winter time, complete conveyor sump decline, mining vehicle parked on the “Lay-Down Area” presumably near the portal, the working face of the mine at various stages of development, 1563 portal being slashed, the removal of the overburden for the tramline loading station site, the construction of the transfer tower(s), construction of the stockpile area, the construction of a sedimentation pond, a presumed cave in, construction of footings for the conveyor, construction of the tramline loading terminal station, construction of the crusher building, a slash titled “Breakthrough in Access Ramp”, storage of powder and fuses, a washout in conveyor decline, fog at the portal in -30 degrees Celsius, the 1290 junction flooded, a slab of shotcrete which fell on and injured a miner while shotcreting, shotcrete blasted off walls for repairs, images of the “Hilti-test”, shots showing grade of drift, and structural failures in the 1350 adit.
Locations and structure within the underground mine depicted include: yellow ventilation ducting, ground support including steel screen and shotcrete, steel cables bolted unto ground support, puddles in the adits, the access road to the lay-down area, the exhaust drift, “Fans and Heaters in the 1415 adit”, the 1350 sump, the access ramp to the 1320, the exhaust ramp safety bay, the conveyor decline, the ventilation adit, the 1563 portal, the temporary repair shop at the 1415 portal, junctions of various drifts, the ”Fresh Water Pump & Pumphouse on lower Creek”, the “Ventilation Raise/1563 Platform”, a “Diamond Drill Station” at 6066 North in the underground mine, the “Bridge to the Gravel Pit”, the “Crushing and Screening Plant” in the gravel pit, the ventilation bulkhead in the conveyor decline, and the “Powder Magazine”.
People depicted include Rose Gay and R. Tyne on a tour of the underground mine, a geologist with a rockhammer, a miner identified as A. Jacobs working, contract miners Bruno and Marbel from Canadian Mine Development, and unidentified miners rockbolting, shotcreting, and drilling using jackleg drills.
Vehicle and mining equipment depicted include jeeps, pickup trucks, a front end loader, an unidentified a small unmanned tracked machine with a long arm, scoop trams, a land cruiser, an ore truck with a flat tire, the cone crusher, a “scissor lift”, a mobile shotcrete machine, a new grout pump, a new Boart Jumbo Drill, and a detached bucket half of a 413 ore truck.
The second collection depicts the McDame Project construction in 1986 and 1987.
Content of these photographs includes: various machinery used for excavating and drilling, underground progress of tunneling, supports, wire meshing, rock formations in mine, and exposed asbestos. There are no annotations regarding this photographs.
Photograph depicts shovel in excavation area of mine, loading ore haulage truck believed to be a Wabco "haul pak".
Photograph depicts a shovel loading what appears to be a Euclid ore haulage truck on left. Unidentified Caterpillar machine in foreground.
Photograph depicts a Euclid ore haulage truck in foreground. Shovel and unidentified caterpillar machine can be seen in background.
Photograph depicts steel tower. Snow in foreground, mountainside in background.
Photograph depicts tramline conveyors in centre of image (located west of mine). Conveyors ran from crusher plant to the tramline loading station. Building on left believed to be the crusher reject plant. Water truck can be seen by transfer building on far right (truck was used to thaw propane tank when necessary). Mine valley in background.
Photograph depicts tramline conveyor (located west of mine). Conveyor ran from crusher plant to tramline loading station. Mine valley and northwestern mountain range in background.
Photograph depicts unidentified man operating forklift on right. Pallets of asbestos fibre sit on trailer in background. Two men with clipboard stand in left foreground (David Pewsey on left, Chris Tates on right, see also item 2000.1.1.3.19.212).
Photograph depicts mine area. Switchback road and higher benches in background. Blasthole drills, track shovels, and ore haulage trucks can be seen on level in foreground and higher bench in background. Mountains visible in distance. Benches in background speculated to be located on the mine's West Peak.
Photograph depicts machinery in snowy area of mine. Euclid ore haulage truck in foreground, cassiar pickup truck visible in lower area in midground. Blasthole drill in front of track shovel in left background, Wabco ore haulage truck visible behind other machinery in right background.
Photograph depicts part of the vacuum dust control and removal system in the Cassiar mill building. Unidentified man can be seen at rotary air-lock, in which heavy blown dust would collect before dropping to plenum conveyor resting just above floor. From here, the dust would eventually be expelled at the tailings pile outside of the mill. Second unidentified man can be seen climbing steps in background. This section of the mill was located above the lab.
Photograph depicts Zora Ivanovska in safety gear, vaccuming asbestos dust from "hall screen" in mill (slanted vibrating tables with varying mesh sizes, used to separate different lengths of fibre). Mill General Foreman Tony Pinto is visible on far right, with unidentified man.
Photograph depicts three women wearing white aprons while conducting tests on asbestos fibre in lab area, miscellaneous equipment throughout room.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar mine on McDame Mountain. West peak semi-visible in foreground. Drills and ore haulage trucks visible below in pit and on switchback roads.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar mine on McDame Mountain. Blasthole drills and ore haulage trucks visible below in open pit and on switchback road.
Photograph depicts blasthole drill on left, bulldozer in centre, and shovel loading ore haulage truck in background. Second haul truck is semi-visible on far right. Hose equipment can be seen in foreground.
Photograph depicts a shovel loading what appears to be a Euclid ore haulage truck in excavation area of mine.
Photograph depicts a Euclid ore haulage truck dumping material on pile in left foreground.
Photograph depicts crusher buildings in left foreground, located west of mine on McDame Mountain. Southeast mountain range in background.
Photograph depicts what appears to be a Euclid ore haulage truck at entrance of building speculated to be the truck dumping station at crusher plant in mine.
Photograph depicts ore cars on cables running between tramline towers on left. Road in right foreground, building and McDame mountain in background. Tramline ran through mine valley, between loading station in mine and dump station at mill on plantsite.
Plant buildings stand in midground. Conveyor believed to be leading to tailings pile can be seen in foreground. Valley and mountains in background.
Photograph depicts pallets of fibre bags in shipping area (believed to be in mill building).
Photograph depicts unidentified man operating forklift. Pallets of asbestos fibre sit on trailer in background. Believed to have been taken in shipping area of mill building.
Photograph depicts ore cars on cables running between tramline towers. Flowers in foreground, mine valley and McDame mountain in background. Tramline ran through mine valley, between loading station (2000.1.13.19.197) in mine and dump station at mill on plantsite (2000.1.1.3.19.124)
Photograph depicts palletizer machinery, where bags of asbestos fibre were shrink-wrapped and made ready for shipping pallets. Palletizer was located near shipping (believed to be in mill building). Unidentified man visible in machinery on far left.
Photograph depicts tramline conveyor in centre of image (located west of mine). Conveyor ran from crusher plant to tramline loading station. Building on left believed to be the crusher reject plant. Mine valley and northwestern mountain range in background.
Photograph depicts pallets of fibre bags in shipping area (believed to be in mill building).
Photograph depicts woman wearing safety gear in second floor of mill building, holding unidentified instruments. Helen Joseph took air quality tests in the working areas and town (see item 2000.1.1.3.19.147).
Photograph depicts ore cars on cables running between tramline towers on left. Road in right foreground, building and McDame mountain in background. Tramline ran through mine valley, between loading station in mine and dump station at mill on plantsite.
Mill building in left midground. Conveyor believed to be leading to tailings pile can be seen in foreground. Valley and mountains in background.
File contains photographs depicting four different tours that took place at the mine, plant, and towns owned by Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. Tours include Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's visit to Clinton Creek in 1968 and Member of Parliament Iona Campagnolo's visit to Cassiar in 1978. Photographs also depict a party of ambassadors touring Cassiar in 1970, and the dedication of a building in the Cassiar plant in the late 1970s.
A black and white photographic print of Iona Campagnolo in the Cassiar mill wearing a ‘VISITOR’ hard hat and overalls. Two unidentified workers provide a tour of the mill and show sample of the asbestos fibres.
File contains photographs depicting superintendents accepting safety awards on behalf of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation ltd, and BCIT Scholarship Winners.
File contains photographs featuring the tramline at Cassiar which ran from the crushing plant at the mountain mine to the plantsite in the valley (a drop of 427 meters). The first ore was originally transported by truck to the plant until the gravity chute was built in 1953. This chute was replaced with the first aerial tramline model in 1956, which was succeeded by the second model in 1975. This file also includes one photo of the original gravity chute, and one photo depicting a tramline worker.
Additionally there is a collection of eighteen photographs of tramline cars that were being surveyed for damage and condition, and another collection of six photographs of tramline study. The results of this study determined that there was variances in load sizes of the buckets caused by extra material falling off the panfeeder.
Photograph depicts crusher plant in centre foreground. Shifter shack and vehicles can be seen in front of pit area. West Peak semi-visible in right midground. Mine valley an northwestern mountain range in background.
Photograph depicts plant buildings below, tailings pile in foreground. Valley and mountains in background. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "CASSIAR".
Photograph depicts plant buildings in front of tailings pile in midground. Forest, power line, and tramline in foreground; south mountains in background.
Photograph depicts the West Peak of the Cassiar mine on McDame Mountain. Pit area visible between West Peak and road in foreground. Mine valley and north mountain range in background. Photo speculated to have been taken from a point on or near the South or North Peak.
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".
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.
Photograph depicts colour-coded model of mine in display case. Legend partially legible in image: "TALUS / VOLCANICS / WASTE SERPENTINE / AAA ORE / AA ORE". Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "Cassiar B.C. June 1970 by Tom Kiefer".
Photograph depicts group of ten men standing and kneeling in front of BE 40R blasthole drill in mine area. For names of individuals, see similar image, item 2000.1.1.3.19.72.
Photograph depicts group of ten men standing and kneeling in unknown location at the Cassiar mine. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "APPROX 1965 / BACK L-R / 1.- / 2. Don Erwin [i.e Irwin] / 3. MAC MAcCLOUD DIED 1979 / 4. JIM MURDOCK MINE SUPER / 5. RUPERT McKENZIE CAPT / 6. DANNY DEMETRI / 7. VIC SARAKOSKI / FRONT. L-R / 1. DON HUDGEON / 2. MIKE CLARK / 3. - [Adrian VanHill Sr.]". Information in above annotation supplemented with insight from individuals who contributed to Northern BC Archives Facebook Photo ID Project, contact archivist for more information in research file pertaining to this photograph.