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.
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).
Photograph depicts Chris Tates seated at table with paperwork in left foreground. David Pewsey stands behind on right, pointing to what appears to the Fibre Loading Schedule. Pewsey was supervisor of the Fibre Storage Shed. Both men wear hardhats. Tates believed to be wearing gold nugget Cassiar ring on left hand.
Photograph depicts unidentified man seated at one of many dining tables lining large room.
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.
Photograph of lab equipment at plantsite. It is believed the equipment depicted was involved in fibre testing.
Photograph depicts samples of Cassiar asbestos.
This is a collection of photographs from Liverpoool UK for the commercial promotion of a barrel. They are professional depictions of all sides and angles of the proposed barrel that Cassiar was exploring to obtain. It can be assumed that this barrel would have been used in the powerhouse as the original file was titled Powerhouse and contained powerhouse records for development.
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".
Photograph depicts an unidentified man standing to left of large puddle in gravel pit, mountain peaks in background. Photo speculated to have been taken on the plant, or near the Cassiar airstrip, facing south west. Stamped annotation on recto of photograph: "JUN. 1987".
Photograph depicts yellow conveyor belt in foreground over gravel pit, dump truck behind in midground. Mountains visible in background. Photo speculated to have been taken at the plant or near the Cassiar airstrip. Stamped annotation on recto of photograph: "JUN. 1987".
This collection depicts the construction and development of Roger's Pass Project. Originally part of an album with "Manning - Kumagai" on the front. The photographs depict a railway station, large tent for storage of raw materials, machinery, railway construction equipment, underground tunnel and various people at work in these areas.
This file contains a collection of photographs of Elsa Mine and Venus Mine in the Yukon Territories that were operated by Equipment United Keno Hill, and were subsequently closed after Keno shut down operations in 1989.
It can be assumed that the Cassiar mine was looking at the equipment at Elsa and Venus mine for purchase as the collection depicts various machinery including: shotcrete machine, long hole drill, auger screw, compressed air powered generator, Cat engine, scooptram and slusher from Elsa Mine; and an empty trailer, first aid trailer, compressed air powered tugger, air receivers, cooling system, twist air compressors, and a bit sharpener from Venus Mine.
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 large Caterpillar engine on flatbed. Road in foreground, trees in background. Accompanying note reads: "MTCE 4-01 (b) Cat 3612 Engine".
Photograph depicts large Caterpillar engine in large shop with sheeted walls and brick floor. Accompanying note reads: "MTCE 4-01 (b) Cat 3612 Engine".
Photograph depicts large Caterpillar engine against painted brick wall in building with brick floor. Miscellaneous equipment in background. Accompanying note reads: "MTCE 4-01 (b) Cat 3612 Engine".
Subseries consists of photographic material pertaining to building construction at Cassiar and Clinton Creek. Photos were taken of all the major structures during the building of the Cassiar plant in the early 1950s and the Clinton Creek plant in the early 1970s. There are also photographs pertaining to the new mill that was built at Cassiar in 1970-1971. Smaller scale construction jobs have been included: police station, powerhouse expansion, fiber storage building, sewage collection and treatment plants, accommodations and outside work camps.
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.
Photographs of various Cassiar Staff at work. There is extensive annotations on the back of each photo explaining who is depicted and where they are working.
Photograph depicts steel drums and wooden buildings at an exploration camp in the Kutcho Creek valley area of B.C. The camp was set up by a crew led by Cassiar's Chief Geologist Bill Plumb. An arrow points to a possible burial site.
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.
Subseries consists of photographic material pertaining to early geological exploration and planning of the mine sites, plant sites and town sites of both Cassiar, B.C. and later Clinton Creek, Y.T. This subseries also includes photographic material capturing mining locations not owned by Cassiar Asbestos Corporation for what is believed to be corporate research and development purposes.
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."
Photograph depicts an exploration camp in the valley at the Kutcho Creek area in B.C. The camp was set up by a crew led by Cassiar's Chief Geologist Bill Plumb.
Photograph depicts steel drums and wooden buildings at an exploration camp in the Kutcho Creek valley area of B.C. The camp was set up by a crew led by Cassiar's Chief Geologist Bill Plumb.
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”.
Photograph depicts a man wearing a Brinco Mining hardhat and pointing at a map.
Photograph depicts a view of snow-capped mountains among clouds taken from the air.
This collection is of Kutcho Creek Camp that was set up by a crew led by Cassiar's Chief Geologist Bill Plumb in 1966.
There are six photographs showing the temporary buildings, paths and barrels. These photos were taken from a high hill looking down at the camp. Two photographs depicts the valley of Kutcho Creek area, and the exploration camp is in the distance at foot of hill. One photograph depicts valley of Kutcho Creek area with a body of water in foreground, and mountains in background.
Another photograph depicts man believed to be Matt Bell standing in Kutcho Creek exploration camp. There are tents on either side, a wood structure in background and a sign on wood post: "PLUMB BLVD."
One photograph believed to have been taken near Kutcho Creek, during the initial exploration trip led by Cassiar's Chief Geologist Bill Plumb. Bill stands to left of man believed to be Matt Bell in right foreground. Bulldozer works along talus slope in left foreground.
Another photograph of this initial trip shows a bulldozer working along talus slope in centre of image.
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.
Photograph of Cassiar Towniste with pen annotation on front "Deyo August 1979 - 2 October 1992)."
Photograph of man, believed to Bill Pratt, with a fox on top of a mountain.
The Photographic Materials series consists of 6100 photographs, 900 slides and negatives documenting a wide variety of subject areas pertaining to both the operations of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd., and the company township of Cassiar, B.C. Types of subject areas found within this series include, but are not limited to: mine, plant, labour, and townsite operations at the company towns of Cassiar and Clinton Creek (including community activities associated therein and townsite development); construction of plant and mine buildings ; mines and equipment not owned by Cassiar Asbestos Corporation, but which are believed to have been used for operational research purposes ; aerial photographs ; company exploration of further mineral deposits outside of Cassiar ; official tours ; community images, promotional material ; executive portraits. The Photographic Materials series has been further subdivided into the following 4 subseries: Exploration & Development, Construction, General (Mining) Operations & (Townsite) Community Operations, and Corporate Affairs.
- File contains photographs done to item level description, depicting miscellaneous people and locations at or around Cassiar, B.C. This includes a photograph of renowned prospector William (“Bill”) Storie, Bill Pratt with a fox, a community gathering in a someone's home, and a hockey game.
- Also included but not to item level is a photo of "David Madore" as part of his application to Cassiar, photo of "William Field" a local hire maintenance mechanic, and photos of a RNWMP Post sign (Royal North West Mounted Police) that depicts annotations "Indian grave" , "Miners Cabin" , "Road House" , "Customs House" , "St. James Church" , "Swansons Store" etc., and 15 negatives of various individuals at what appears to be someone's home.
- Also included is cabin at Boya Lake, which used to be named Chain lake, located off the Stewart-Cassiar highway. This land of this cabin may have been involved legal issues , which was related to people at Cassiar.
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.
Photographic negatives depict men on tour in unknown locations in Russia. Images depict urban areas, mining areas, construction of buildings, railway, mineral samples, and equipment including dump truck and electric shovel. Also includes images of area speculated to be a mine pit. Men on tour are dressed in formal attire.
Handwritten annotation in pencil on envelope containing negatives: "Russian 'Asbest' Mine Slides" "7 copies of each - 23 negatives - 161 prints".
Photograph depicts man believed to be Matt Bell standing in Kutcho Creek exploration camp. The camp was set up by a crew led by Cassiar's Chief Geologist Bill Plumb. Tents on either side, wood structure in background. Sign on wood post: "PLUMB BLVD."
Photograph believed to have been taken near Kutcho Creek, BC during an outside exploration trip led by Cassiar's Chief Geologist Bill Plumb. Bill stands to left of man believed to be Matt Bell in right foreground. Bulldozer works along talus slope in left foreground.
Photograph depicts the projected mining area of Asbestos Mountain, taken during the expedition of George Edzerza's party and their exploration of the future mine at Cassiar.
Handwritten annotations on verso in blue ink describing sections of photograph which have been pointed to or outlined in blue ink: "PROJECTED STRIKE - LOOKING NORTH - OVER -->" "<500'>" "NORTH".
Handwritten annotations in black ink on verso also outline areas and mark areas with "x".
Handwritten annotation on recto in blue ink: "No. 2. This is the continuation of the ore zone, over the top of the mountain, away from the 'fluff'' deposit."
Men can be seen working on site, building tools and supplies scattered throughout. Handwritten caption beside this photo reads: "View showing various levels of foundations". A chute of some kind extends from high level to men near bottom. Dirt road at site, and tree-covered valley can be seen in background. Construction of a long structure near the edge of the excavation area can be seen in midground; this is believed to be conveyor "B".
Man in hard hat and overalls bent over wood structure in front of a wood box. Crusher building foundation, mountainside, and power lines in background.
Handwritten caption beside this photo reads: "Work crew eating in open at 10˚ below zero, evicted from Lunchroom, due to damage to, from falling rock." Men are shown sitting in snow. Various metal materials in foreground, snow-covered mountainside in background. It is believed that power lines are also visible in background.
Four construction workers stand to left of blasthole drill number "604" among many empty cardboard boxes. Mountain range can be seen 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: "Erection of steel framework of Building". Red rectangular equipment stands enclosed in wood frame, which is also being enclosed in the much larger steel frame of the crusher building. Men are working on site, and boom of traveler crane can be seen on right. Other buildings at crusher plant are visible at top of mountain in background.
Handwritten caption beside this photo reads: "View of Bin and Pan Feeder". Interior view of crusher building. A square, snow-covered object is being lowered by crane into building.
Photograph depicts two similar wood structures built into mountainside in snowy area. Unidentified machinery in foreground on far left. Power lines or other cables above in background.
Photograph depicts the steel sheeting of the crusher building underway. Three men stand on platform suspended by cables close to roof of crusher building. Three other men can be seen working on the roof of the building, one walking, one sitting, one lying on his stomach very close to the edge. All are wearing safety gear. Cassiar mountain range in background.