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".
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).
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 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."
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 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 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.
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".
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.
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.
Photographs are part of an album depicting the dust conditions in the mill and the measures taken to control the dust.
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.
Crushing plant and strip mining area visible in Cassiar mountain range.
Photograph depicts chute from distance. Annotation on verso of photograph: "CASSIAR ASBESTOS CORP. LTD. MINE AND ORE CHUTE ON McDAMES MOUNTAIN".
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 town of Cassiar in distance behind pit mine in foreground. South mountain range in background. Photograph was taken from the air, portion of plane visible in top left of image.
Photograph depicts the pit mine, and road in valley below. Town of Cassiar can be seen in distance at foot of south mountain range.
File contains photographs depicting machinery, individuals, buildings, and mining processes at the open mine on McDame Mountain, Cassiar, B.C. Some photos depict benches from open strip mining, and two images feature models of the mine (1955 and 1970). Machinery depicted includes shovels, bulldozers, tractors, ore haul trucks (Kenworth, International Harvester, and Wabco), air track drills, blasthole drills, and Ingersoll-Rand Drill. Identified individuals include Fred Murray, R.R. [Kiresan?], C.E. Bronson, Bill Giachino, and "Sam".
File contains photographs featuring:
- the pit mine: fault line, geology, snowdrifts, plowed snow, blast patterns marked by orange cones, mist, and surrounding mountains.
- Pit mine is depicted by aerial photographs and a profile diagram.
- Several photographs also depict what is speculated to be the portal to the underground mine adit in the early phases of development.
- One photograph depicts the shop building in the pit mine, used for maintenance of mining equipment and to house the primary crusher.
- Several photographs show office interiors and personnel and it is speculated that these photographs were taken in the upper floor of the shop building.
- Several photographs depict small sinkholes in the pit mine.
- Mining equipment depicted includes pickup trucks, front end loaders (including a Cat 988), ore haulage trucks, scoop trams, D8 Caterpillar dozer, grader, mining drill rig, jumbo drill, rock hammer, P&H excavator, and wireline extensometer. Photolab envelopes accompanying these materials were annotated “R. Tyne” and “falling ground”. Slide sleeves were annotated “Mine Nov-Dec 1975”, “AERIAL SHOTS OF MINE 1976” and “Phase 8 Dec 1975”.
- Photographs of a Gardner Denver blasting drill at the mine and other ground drills working
- Photograph of proposed power line to #1 switchback in 1975,
- Collection of photographs of a Wsbco truck with corresponding mechanical transfers of those photographs.
- Also photographs a Gardner Denver drill and a Bucyrus Erie drill that was rented to Cassiar Mine in 1974. This collection includes a depiction of an accident with these drills.
- An additional collection of photographs of #709 Drill that was involved in minor accident. A pipe was either damaged or was the cause of the accident.
- Negative collection of photographs with corresponding notes of descriptions.
- Photographs of G.D. 80 Drill - Blasthole drill at work in the open pit.
- Photographs part of Month End Reports from January - June 1980
- Photographs of portable toilets used on Mine site.
- Photograph collection of mine garage January 21, 1988
- Photograph collection of what is believed to be the inside of the mine garage and various storage units and equipment. Marked "Receiver File" in original enclosure.
- Photos of Crane in 1984.
- An Album of 192 photographs of machinery in March of 1976 working at the mine site. Some of the equipment from either the plantsite or the mill is also depicted.
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.
Switchback road, power lines and tramline towers are believed to be visible in the background valley. 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 the primary crushing plant in foreground. Mine road can be seen below, and plant is visible in distance. South mountains in background. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "1961-1962".
Photograph depicts the mine road in valley bellow mine. Cassiar plant and tailings pile in foreground. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "Oct. 25 / 65 4:25 PM."
Photograph depicts the mine road in valley below bulldozer parked on edge of mountain. Cassiar plant and town visible in distance, south mountains behind them in background. Photo also depicts what appears to be a cloud rising from the tailings pile in plantsite.
Photograph depicts view of mine road in valley, from mountain above. Plant, tailings pile, and town visible in distance. South mountains in background. Handwritten annotation on verso of photograph: "1961", on recto: Townsite and Plantsite from mine."
Photograph depicts the mine road in valley, view from mountain above. Plant, tailings pile, and town visible in distance. South mountains in background. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "1961-1962".
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 above valley bellow, north east mountain range in background. Photograph was taken from the air, portion of plane visible in top left of image.
Photograph depicts the mine valley in foreground below Cassiar Mine, north east mountain range in background.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar mine in foreground, north east mountain range in background. Tramline station and crushing plant visible in foreground in front of pit. Photograph was taken from the air, portion of plane visible in top left of image.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar mine in foreground, north east mountain range in background. Tramline station and crushing plant visible in foreground, west of pit. Photograph was taken from the air, portion of plane visible in top left of image.
Photograph depicts the Cassiar mine above valley, north mountain range in background. Tramline station and crushing plant visible to west of pit. Photograph was taken from the air, portion of plane visible in top left of image.
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 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 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.
Photographs of miniature models for new mill.
Photograph depicts large square model of the new mill building that was built at the Cassiar plant site in 1970. Model is displayed on green material laid on floor against wall in unidentified room. Machinery modeled inside the structure is colour-coded.
Photograph depicts large square model of the new mill building that was built at the Cassiar plant site in 1970. Model is displayed on green material set on a platform in snowy area. Machinery modeled inside the structure is colour-coded. Mountain in background.
Photograph depicts large square model of the new mill building that was built at the Cassiar plant site in 1970. Model is displayed outdoors on a platform that stands on four saw horses. Machinery modeled inside the structure is colour-coded. Plant buildings and mountains in background.
Photograph depicts large square model of the new mill building that was built at the Cassiar plant site in 1970. Model is displayed on green material set on a platform in snowy area. Machinery modeled inside the structure is colour-coded. Mountain in background.
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 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".
Handwritten caption above this photo reads: "Moving the sides of Bin into place. Weight nine tons" (see also item 2000.1.1.2.365). The bin side is not in view, but cable lines of crane can be seen lowering bin into building. Steel framework and sheeting in background, snow in foreground.
Photograph depicts the large 9 ton side of a bin for the crusher building. It is suspended by a crane which stands behind it, mostly out of picture. Pile of steel beams for framework in foreground, mountainside in background. See also item 2000.1.1.2.365.