In 1869 the iron ore deposits of the district attained attention and in 1897 gold was discovered on Wawa Lake by some Indians. When the information was given to the white nation, some of the placer miners from the Klondike Gold Rush were diverted to Michipicoten, but they had quickly disappeared. The only men going into the bush were mostly coal miners and all drillers and these individuals did not meet with any success, although many promising claims were located. The original area was 125 acres but since that time this had been doubled.
The Long bottom or main vein was traced on the surface for 1600 feet and uncovered by ten pits and trenches for 800 feet. These showing were so spectacular that from one phase a carload of some thirty tons of ore was shipped to Noranda smelter. This gave a return of $363.00 per ton of gold recovered. During the summer of 1930 an electric power line was built to the property that was constructed by the Great Lakes Power Company. Transformers and switch equipment was installed during this massive power development. A cook house, bunk houses, office and staff house, transformer house, blacksmith shop, power house, rest house and stables had also been constructed. The motor driven air compressors, air receivers, hoist, head frame, skip, tramway, mine cars, drills, drill sharpener, oil furnace, electric water pumps and smaller accessory tools were also installed. A two compartment incline shaft was sunk 268 feet. Two stations were cut, one on the 125 foot level and one on the 240 foot level. A huge amount of Lateral Development was also achieved during this new development phase.
The shaft was sunk on the vein from 12 feet to 179 feet. After completing much of the need structures the company had decided to engineer a small 50 ton per a day milling facility. As development and production continue to take place the No.1 shaft was now reaching 375 feet below the ground and at mine working stations developed on the mines 120, 240, and 360 foot levels. The first level has been open up by about 1000 feet of drifting and crosscutting, the second level by about 1700 feet and the third level had about 500 feet of both developments. This development procedure had soon indicated high grade reserves to warrant the construction of a 100 ton milling facility as production was becoming high. By February 1931 an order was place for the much needed milling machinery and the mill was officially operated by July 1st of that same year. Soon enough another change had occurred when the main Air Hoist was being replace with the new electrical hoist, This massive expansion to the hoist system had allowed company officials to sink the shaft further below the ground where the fourth level was now to be developed. Development on the fourth level was soon establish on the mine's 500 foot section where ore was being extracted. On the fourth level the ore occurrence averages approximately 30 feet in width.
On January 12, the mill was closed down due to ongoing installations to the company's milling facility. But production was shortly resumed when all the requirements were made to the milling facility. In the meantime another discovery of two potential ore bodies were opened up on the newly designed 5th level which was located on the mines 615 foot station area. As production became so strong another development of three raise was being constructed from the fourth to the fifth level where 6,000 tons of high-grade rock we're removed from the mine. When stoping had started to take place on the high grade ore shoot, it had soon indicated higher grading then when it was first examined prior to development. The mill was soon tuned up to handle a higher grade gold capacity rate of 100 tons of ore on a daily basis. However the grade of the ore had proven to be way to rich so the mill could only be operated at 40 tons of ore per a day. After not being able to obtain the higher tonnage rate the company started to install a tube mill and an additional concentrator table to make this mill capable of handling 100 tons. As production and processing was now started at the former mill site it was able to process 41.05 tons of ore on a daily basis in which a value of $1,500 of gold and silver was extracted.
Further diamond drilling had soon intersected the ore body on the sixth mine level, at a depth of 740 feet below the surface. Drilling was mainly taking place on the Park Hill Gold Mine to figure out how long these ore bodies are known to continue. After finding more indications the company had also produce $260,000,00 in gold that was shipped to the Mint. This mine production was said to have been obtained from 41 tons of ore that was produced on a daily basis.
The No. 6504 raise was officially being drilled from the mines sixth level to the fifth level. Production from this area was strongly considered to have brought in steady production of ore that was stored on the surface till the mill had required it for further processing. In addition the company had obtain 700 tons of ore from this huge massive development stage and another 200 tons broken in the stope. Company officials had soon estimated this development to have totalled 3,000 tons of ore from this mining expansion alone. As development proceeded on the sixth level the company started constructing a large ore shoot that was located 170 feet west of the main ore body.
Development was now being carried out on the 7th mine level which was stationed at the mines foot section. All production from this section of the mining venture is known to be done by a drift that's located west of the shaft and is strongly considered to open up for a length of approximately 50feet and stretches east of the shaft for a length of 30 feet. Both of these drifts are also considered to be developed within a well fractured shear zone that contains a good looking narrow quartz vein. But the seventh level was proven to be lower in grade then the previous levels so it wants considered commercially profitable.
A massive additional air compressor unit was purchased and shipped into the mine during the week of September 18th. During this time period company officials had start developing the much need platform to place this large piece machinery in place. All of this development was said to have been officially completed by October 15th. As this massive development becomes completed another shaft sinking phase will be expanded to the mines 1000 foot level. Almost all development on the 1000 foot level was originally opened up by the end of the year so that further production could be commenced. Much of this whole entire development will be commonly considered to have opened up the 1000 foot level to the east and west as its driven for at least 4,000 feet. As the Park hill Mine's 1000 foot level had opened up, another intensive diamond drilling program was aimed towards this section of the mine. Much of all this drilling was pretty much done so that company officials could measure how thick the vein was past the 1000 foot level of this mining operation.
Further production on the mines 1000 foot section had soon escalated when company officials started drilling a massive ore shoot from the 8th level all the way to the 9th level. A medium size ore body was soon uncovered that wasn't considered to be that profitable as it only carried on for a short distance above the tenth where it became faulted. As production continue to escalade on this ore shoot, another diamond drilling program was aimed at finding what way this vein had went. All of this exploration had soon uncovered the downward extension of this shoot and the 11th level was now being driven westward to open this new location up.
The shaft has now reached a vein depth of 1750 feet below the ground where thirteen levels have been established. Each of these long size levels are considered to follow and extract the rich gold vein further within the mine. Diamond drilling has also indicated newly discovered veins soon became developed even more. As production became heavy the mine owners decided to also upgrade their own company mill as it was now treating 70 tons of ore on a daily basis. The ore from the mine is said to have average anywhere from $14.00 to $20.00 a ton and no serious difficulties were known to occur while processing the fine gold that came from the Park hill Mine. Much of the whole entire 11th level was being operated by four ore shoots that made this mine rich in history.
The Park Hill Gold Mines Limited would soon go under a new development stage when the 14th foot level was constructed. This major development would end up making a rich bright future for this exploration company when more high grade gold was uncovered and ready to be examined. In general the opening the of the 14th foot level has proven to be very promising as there was soon a new discovery being encountered below the 12th level. Much of this whole new ore discovery zone is known to occur in two shoots that total a length of 80 feet and are driven for a short distance above the 14th foot level. This would soon indicate that the best way for developing a tonnage would be simply to open up a 15th and 16th foot level.
As the mine became deeper and bigger the company had now need to construct more mine buildings to this massive gold mining zone. So in addition the company designed several different structures that became notice as the mill building, the crusher house, the hoist house, the compressor house and machine shop, and also an Assay house and refinery station.
The whole entire hoist house was operated by a wide section of machinery that included 1 Ingersoll Rand Double Drum Hoist which was driven by a 125 horsepower electrical motor. All the capacity in the hoisting station was known for transporting 100 tons of ore to the surface for further processing. The Compressor House is known to also included the following machines which are noted as 2 Canadian Ingersoll Rand 2 stage air compressor that's driven by a 100 horsepower electrical motor. Air Capacity from both compressors together is known for carrying about 1,725 cubic feet of air to the mine. The crusher house is considered to contain a Telesmith Jaw Crusher that's connected with the mill building by a 14 foot rubber belt conveyor system. In general the mill is considered to be a straight cyanide mill that's known for having a capacity rate of 80 tons of ore per a day. Its also considered to contain all the necessary machinery to run a milling facility at full force. Some of the main items that are found are known to include Mercury Ball Mill that's driven by a 125 horse power electrical motor. A dor classifier, 4 Pachuca tanks, a precipitation tank, 1 Oliver filter and two Wilfley Tables. The Park hill Mine Machine shop is known to contain the following: A power Hacksaw, a 20x16 bed engine Lathe, a pipe threading machine, a welding and cutting outfit, a No. 1 universal milling machine. a single head Radial and a double engine grinder. The Assay house and refinery was known to include the following machine in order to operate it. These massive motorize machines were known as a Rockwell Refinery, Blast furnaces, and assay furnace and other accessories. The pump house is equipped with two pumps, one being 300 E.P.M Centrifugal pump that was driven by a 10 horsepower electrical motor. Besides the first pump the other pump had a much bigger capacity of 2500 E.P.M and was considered to be driven by a 60 horsepower motor. This pump was also considered to have been hooked up to another stand-by gasoline engine of 75 H.P. In general the smaller pump was rather known for supplying the mill and the compressors while the big pump had supplied the water for the much bigger tank system. All of this became a huge contributor towards the main building that included the Mill, Warehouse, Hoist and Compressor house and assay office with sprinklers that were installed to protect the buildings from a fire.
The mine was in production from august 1931 to January, 8th, 1938. Total production was 125,191,83 tons and the value of the production at that time was 1,885,941,75 in gold value. All production was also considered to have graded at $15.00 an ounce of gold from a ton of rock that was mined. Production costs at the former Park hill Mine had included $11.00 per a ton of rock that was extracted and drilled. The Failure of the company was cause by two factors, one being economical and the other one being technical. Much of the whole entire history of the Park hill Gold Mine was always in short of capital during operating procedures. When the Park hill Mine came into production in 1931, the company had already owed somewhere near $100,000,00. All of these debts that the company had owner were however paid by 1934. For a mine with a daily production rate of 35 to 40 tons, this is rather outstanding in accomplishment. Additional capital expenditure were made during the following years and had paid out of production for the former company. This major type of event had left the mine without enough capital to run this operation further. Even the mine management had to face the whole down trends of this production when they were constantly looking for further high grade zone to extract in order to meet financial statements.
The Long bottom or main vein was traced on the surface for 1600 feet and uncovered by ten pits and trenches for 800 feet. These showing were so spectacular that from one phase a carload of some thirty tons of ore was shipped to Noranda smelter. This gave a return of $363.00 per ton of gold recovered. During the summer of 1930 an electric power line was built to the property that was constructed by the Great Lakes Power Company. Transformers and switch equipment was installed during this massive power development. A cook house, bunk houses, office and staff house, transformer house, blacksmith shop, power house, rest house and stables had also been constructed. The motor driven air compressors, air receivers, hoist, head frame, skip, tramway, mine cars, drills, drill sharpener, oil furnace, electric water pumps and smaller accessory tools were also installed. A two compartment incline shaft was sunk 268 feet. Two stations were cut, one on the 125 foot level and one on the 240 foot level. A huge amount of Lateral Development was also achieved during this new development phase.
The shaft was sunk on the vein from 12 feet to 179 feet. After completing much of the need structures the company had decided to engineer a small 50 ton per a day milling facility. As development and production continue to take place the No.1 shaft was now reaching 375 feet below the ground and at mine working stations developed on the mines 120, 240, and 360 foot levels. The first level has been open up by about 1000 feet of drifting and crosscutting, the second level by about 1700 feet and the third level had about 500 feet of both developments. This development procedure had soon indicated high grade reserves to warrant the construction of a 100 ton milling facility as production was becoming high. By February 1931 an order was place for the much needed milling machinery and the mill was officially operated by July 1st of that same year. Soon enough another change had occurred when the main Air Hoist was being replace with the new electrical hoist, This massive expansion to the hoist system had allowed company officials to sink the shaft further below the ground where the fourth level was now to be developed. Development on the fourth level was soon establish on the mine's 500 foot section where ore was being extracted. On the fourth level the ore occurrence averages approximately 30 feet in width.
On January 12, the mill was closed down due to ongoing installations to the company's milling facility. But production was shortly resumed when all the requirements were made to the milling facility. In the meantime another discovery of two potential ore bodies were opened up on the newly designed 5th level which was located on the mines 615 foot station area. As production became so strong another development of three raise was being constructed from the fourth to the fifth level where 6,000 tons of high-grade rock we're removed from the mine. When stoping had started to take place on the high grade ore shoot, it had soon indicated higher grading then when it was first examined prior to development. The mill was soon tuned up to handle a higher grade gold capacity rate of 100 tons of ore on a daily basis. However the grade of the ore had proven to be way to rich so the mill could only be operated at 40 tons of ore per a day. After not being able to obtain the higher tonnage rate the company started to install a tube mill and an additional concentrator table to make this mill capable of handling 100 tons. As production and processing was now started at the former mill site it was able to process 41.05 tons of ore on a daily basis in which a value of $1,500 of gold and silver was extracted.
Further diamond drilling had soon intersected the ore body on the sixth mine level, at a depth of 740 feet below the surface. Drilling was mainly taking place on the Park Hill Gold Mine to figure out how long these ore bodies are known to continue. After finding more indications the company had also produce $260,000,00 in gold that was shipped to the Mint. This mine production was said to have been obtained from 41 tons of ore that was produced on a daily basis.
The No. 6504 raise was officially being drilled from the mines sixth level to the fifth level. Production from this area was strongly considered to have brought in steady production of ore that was stored on the surface till the mill had required it for further processing. In addition the company had obtain 700 tons of ore from this huge massive development stage and another 200 tons broken in the stope. Company officials had soon estimated this development to have totalled 3,000 tons of ore from this mining expansion alone. As development proceeded on the sixth level the company started constructing a large ore shoot that was located 170 feet west of the main ore body.
Development was now being carried out on the 7th mine level which was stationed at the mines foot section. All production from this section of the mining venture is known to be done by a drift that's located west of the shaft and is strongly considered to open up for a length of approximately 50feet and stretches east of the shaft for a length of 30 feet. Both of these drifts are also considered to be developed within a well fractured shear zone that contains a good looking narrow quartz vein. But the seventh level was proven to be lower in grade then the previous levels so it wants considered commercially profitable.
A massive additional air compressor unit was purchased and shipped into the mine during the week of September 18th. During this time period company officials had start developing the much need platform to place this large piece machinery in place. All of this development was said to have been officially completed by October 15th. As this massive development becomes completed another shaft sinking phase will be expanded to the mines 1000 foot level. Almost all development on the 1000 foot level was originally opened up by the end of the year so that further production could be commenced. Much of this whole entire development will be commonly considered to have opened up the 1000 foot level to the east and west as its driven for at least 4,000 feet. As the Park hill Mine's 1000 foot level had opened up, another intensive diamond drilling program was aimed towards this section of the mine. Much of all this drilling was pretty much done so that company officials could measure how thick the vein was past the 1000 foot level of this mining operation.
Further production on the mines 1000 foot section had soon escalated when company officials started drilling a massive ore shoot from the 8th level all the way to the 9th level. A medium size ore body was soon uncovered that wasn't considered to be that profitable as it only carried on for a short distance above the tenth where it became faulted. As production continue to escalade on this ore shoot, another diamond drilling program was aimed at finding what way this vein had went. All of this exploration had soon uncovered the downward extension of this shoot and the 11th level was now being driven westward to open this new location up.
The shaft has now reached a vein depth of 1750 feet below the ground where thirteen levels have been established. Each of these long size levels are considered to follow and extract the rich gold vein further within the mine. Diamond drilling has also indicated newly discovered veins soon became developed even more. As production became heavy the mine owners decided to also upgrade their own company mill as it was now treating 70 tons of ore on a daily basis. The ore from the mine is said to have average anywhere from $14.00 to $20.00 a ton and no serious difficulties were known to occur while processing the fine gold that came from the Park hill Mine. Much of the whole entire 11th level was being operated by four ore shoots that made this mine rich in history.
The Park Hill Gold Mines Limited would soon go under a new development stage when the 14th foot level was constructed. This major development would end up making a rich bright future for this exploration company when more high grade gold was uncovered and ready to be examined. In general the opening the of the 14th foot level has proven to be very promising as there was soon a new discovery being encountered below the 12th level. Much of this whole new ore discovery zone is known to occur in two shoots that total a length of 80 feet and are driven for a short distance above the 14th foot level. This would soon indicate that the best way for developing a tonnage would be simply to open up a 15th and 16th foot level.
As the mine became deeper and bigger the company had now need to construct more mine buildings to this massive gold mining zone. So in addition the company designed several different structures that became notice as the mill building, the crusher house, the hoist house, the compressor house and machine shop, and also an Assay house and refinery station.
The whole entire hoist house was operated by a wide section of machinery that included 1 Ingersoll Rand Double Drum Hoist which was driven by a 125 horsepower electrical motor. All the capacity in the hoisting station was known for transporting 100 tons of ore to the surface for further processing. The Compressor House is known to also included the following machines which are noted as 2 Canadian Ingersoll Rand 2 stage air compressor that's driven by a 100 horsepower electrical motor. Air Capacity from both compressors together is known for carrying about 1,725 cubic feet of air to the mine. The crusher house is considered to contain a Telesmith Jaw Crusher that's connected with the mill building by a 14 foot rubber belt conveyor system. In general the mill is considered to be a straight cyanide mill that's known for having a capacity rate of 80 tons of ore per a day. Its also considered to contain all the necessary machinery to run a milling facility at full force. Some of the main items that are found are known to include Mercury Ball Mill that's driven by a 125 horse power electrical motor. A dor classifier, 4 Pachuca tanks, a precipitation tank, 1 Oliver filter and two Wilfley Tables. The Park hill Mine Machine shop is known to contain the following: A power Hacksaw, a 20x16 bed engine Lathe, a pipe threading machine, a welding and cutting outfit, a No. 1 universal milling machine. a single head Radial and a double engine grinder. The Assay house and refinery was known to include the following machine in order to operate it. These massive motorize machines were known as a Rockwell Refinery, Blast furnaces, and assay furnace and other accessories. The pump house is equipped with two pumps, one being 300 E.P.M Centrifugal pump that was driven by a 10 horsepower electrical motor. Besides the first pump the other pump had a much bigger capacity of 2500 E.P.M and was considered to be driven by a 60 horsepower motor. This pump was also considered to have been hooked up to another stand-by gasoline engine of 75 H.P. In general the smaller pump was rather known for supplying the mill and the compressors while the big pump had supplied the water for the much bigger tank system. All of this became a huge contributor towards the main building that included the Mill, Warehouse, Hoist and Compressor house and assay office with sprinklers that were installed to protect the buildings from a fire.
The mine was in production from august 1931 to January, 8th, 1938. Total production was 125,191,83 tons and the value of the production at that time was 1,885,941,75 in gold value. All production was also considered to have graded at $15.00 an ounce of gold from a ton of rock that was mined. Production costs at the former Park hill Mine had included $11.00 per a ton of rock that was extracted and drilled. The Failure of the company was cause by two factors, one being economical and the other one being technical. Much of the whole entire history of the Park hill Gold Mine was always in short of capital during operating procedures. When the Park hill Mine came into production in 1931, the company had already owed somewhere near $100,000,00. All of these debts that the company had owner were however paid by 1934. For a mine with a daily production rate of 35 to 40 tons, this is rather outstanding in accomplishment. Additional capital expenditure were made during the following years and had paid out of production for the former company. This major type of event had left the mine without enough capital to run this operation further. Even the mine management had to face the whole down trends of this production when they were constantly looking for further high grade zone to extract in order to meet financial statements.