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 chute from distance. Annotation on verso of photograph: "CASSIAR ASBESTOS CORP. LTD. MINE AND ORE CHUTE ON McDAMES MOUNTAIN".
Crushing plant and strip mining area visible in Cassiar mountain range.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar mine. North and South peak featured in background, and West peak in left foreground. Pit is being developed between South peak and West peak. Old mine garage is visible in lower centre of image, and crushing plant in right foreground. Mountain range in distance.
Photograph depicts a work area in a mill.
Photograph of the Mill Modification program in 1970. This photo is part of larger collection of 71 photographs of regarding the improvements to the mill as part of the plantsite and was compiled into a report in 1978.
Photograph of two workers in background working on the Mill Modification program in 1970. This photo is part of larger collection of 71 photographs of this program, compiled into a report in 1978.
Photographs are part of an album depicting the dust conditions in the mill and the measures taken to control the dust.
Photograph depicts four construction workers in front of tall wood structure extending to top level of construction area. Building material and supplies cover the ground: lumber, saw horses etc. Barricades against loose rock enclose area in midground (see item 2000.1.1.2.352). Plastic-covered pile sits at top level in background.
Men standing behind saw horses on bottom level of crusher building site, lumber scattered throughout. View facing into mountainside.
View of crusher building from above, featuring the bottom level foundation. A dirt road and long building believed to be housing conveyor "B" cross the midground. Valley in background.
Men working among lumber at crusher building site, various materials scattered throughout. Vertically protruding planks from framework of crusher building are in foreground. Tree-covered valley in background. Construction of a long structure near the edge of the excavation area can be seen in midground; this is speculated to be the section of the crusher building which housed conveyor "B".
Photograph depicts two construction workers in far right sitting on edge above of excavation area, and two construction workers behind them standing at a higher level with construction of lumber walls behind them. The boom and stick of the "Northwest" excavator are semi-visible on left.
Photograph depicts one man standing on framework of crusher building and a second man leaning over on a lower level. Lumber and hose in foreground.
Photograph depicts two men standing on mining bench in mountainside, three boxes and what appears to be a long hose to the left. Third man and tractor plow can be seen in distance at end of bench. Photo caption next to printed copy of image in 1953 Annual Report: "Benches being prepared for mining."
Photograph depicts two men working with air track drill in mine area. Hose and dynamite box in foreground, mountains in background. Handwritten annotation on verso of photograph: "Sept. 1954." This photograph was originally stored inside duotang labeled "CASSIAR ASBESTOS CORPORATION LIMITED PHOTOGRAPHS 1954"; photo caption beneath this image: "Starting New Bench at South end of Deposit."
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 a construction worker carrying a plank of lumber across a higher level area of the construction site, semi-constructed walls below him. Barricades against loose rock are semi-visible in foreground (see item 2000.1.1.2.352).
Photograph depicts unidentified man in dress shirt and tie standing next to large Caterpillar engine on flatbed. Road in foreground, unidentified building in background. Accompanying note reads: "MTCE 4-01 (b) Cat 3612 Engine".
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.
Handwritten caption beside this photo reads: "Lunchroom Damaged by Boulder". Large boulder stands to right of small building, walls of right corner partially destroyed. Lumber, upturned saw horse, and various other material lie on ground. Dirt road in foreground, mountainside in background.
Handwritten caption beside this photo reads: "Placing Crusher Pinion; Pitman; weight approx. 20 tons". Man stands on top of a very tall, red peice of equipment believed to be a crusher pitman. Boom of crane is visible in foreground, and two other men stand on a high level of the crusher building. Crusher foundations, an unidentified building, and mountain in background.
Handwritten caption beside this photo reads: "Lowering Crusher Base into place." Square crusher base in foreground is being lowered by a traveler crane on wheels. Two construction workers stand watching on left. Crane stands against mountainside in background.
Two men bent over ground (one with a shovel) inside semi-finished wood structure. Mountainside in background.
Photograph depicts a man in work clothes and hard hat standing with hands placed on the first of many tram buckets hanging in a line. Steel beam framework of station building rises above him. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "[F1?] LOADING STATION EL. 5800". Photograph was glued to cardboard backing with the annotation: "1962".
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.
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".
Typed annotation on caption adhered to recto of photograph: "Presentation of Open Pit Mines and Quarries Annual Safety Award by W.K. Kiernan, Minister of Mines, British Columbia to J.G. Berry, General Superintendent, Cassiar Asbestos Corporation. Cassiar Asbestos Corporation won the trophy for the year 1962 with a compensable accident frequency of 7.19." Photograph depicts J.G. Berry shaking hands with Mr. Kiernan as he accepts a plaque from the "DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND PETROLEUM RESOURCES." A man and woman are partially visible at table behind them. Curtains on wall in background.
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.
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 on road in mine area, mountain wall in background. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "Int. Harvester Payhauler Model 95", on verso: "1961".
File contains 4 sheets of microfiche depicting a parts and service manual, wiring diagrams and schematics for a GAF Print Vac 190 printing machine that was used in the Engineering Department.
Two large black and white prints of infrared dryers annotated on recto "Thompson Pipe and Steel Company Bulk Material Dryers Van Dorn Iron Works Company" and bearing on verso the ink stamp of a photographer from Cleveland, Ohio.
Photograph depicts bucket hanging from tramline in foreground. Support tower stands in midground in front of station building. Another building can be seen at top of mountain in background. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "INCOMING BUCKET #1 STATION". Photograph was glued to cardboard backing with the annotation: "1962".
File contains images depicting room by room view of a house in Cassiar identified as house 288. Handwritten annotation on verso of photographs: "288 June-9-1992". Photographs originally found in file labeled "TOWN ADMINISTRATION Small Business 1981"; it is likely that these images form part of the process documentation for a small business license.
File contains photographs of a report completed in 1980 depicting the ambulance garage, as well as the interior and exterior of the hospital building in Cassiar, B.C. Each room is captured, as well as medical equipment such as the X-ray, audiometer, lung function apparatus, and autoclave. A doctor, two nurses, and several patients are shown. Accompanying report contains a description of the medical facilities in Cassiar including a detailed budget, description of staffing and utility requirements, and a floor plan of the facilities.
In addition there are two albums of Cassiar Hospital and Pharmacy Staff engaging in social functions. These photographs appear to be informal and depict staff parties, people at work and some of the patients, including their thank you notes to the Cassiar Hospital staff.
Photograph depicts row of houses behind trees. Power line, road, and vehicles in foreground; mountain in background.
Photograph depicts row of houses behind trees. Road, front yards, and vehicle in foreground, mountains in background.
Photograph depicts two unidentified men entering building with the sign "THE ROYAL BANK OF CANADA" above main entrance. Photographer with tripod in foreground.
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 mine valley and road in foreground. Cassiar plant and tailings pile visible in left midground, townsite in right midground. Mountainside of McDame Mountain in foreground, southern mountain range 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.
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 close up view of gravel pit, ruler displayed for scale. Photograph speculated to have been taken at the plant or near the Cassiar airstrip. Stamped annotation on recto of photograph: "JUN. 1987".
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 includes six aggregations of photographs which have been assembled in this file in order to maintain the integrity of each group by keeping the photos arranged together, though each group features operations pertaining to multiple files in this subseries. Includes groups featuring photos from 1961, 1965 1971, a helicopter trip, a community album, and a workplace album. Photographs depict images pertaining to the following operations at Cassiar, B.C.: mining, milling, maintenance, labratory tests, and tramline and town operations. Images featuring operations of the company town include the grocery store, bank, churches, school, library, lounge, pool, theater, community center, outdoor recreation, hospital, dentist, cafeteria, bus route, residences, air strip, firehall, laundromat, park, police, and newspaper.
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.
Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "FURNACE PAD AUG 25/64." Photograph depicts construction worker standing on elevated wood platform. Three other men can be seen working in construction area. This location is believed to be under the conveyor to crusher building, retaining wall in midground.
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.