In 1899, Ludwig Mond established the Victoria Mine, which was situated a little over four kilometres (three miles) north of the Canadian Pacific Railway's (CPR) Sault Branch. Mond's reasoning was simple. He had discovered what he believed was a superior refining technique for nickel. He offered the process to several steel makers, and refiners, who all turned him down. Mond decided to apply the process himself and purchased a number of properties in the Sudbury area. Victoria Mine, also known as the Mond Mine, was the first of the properties to see production in 1900.
In 1900, most of this whole entire mining operation was rather said to have been transforming this claimed area. Several massive pits soon became the first exploration phase to be conducted by Ludwig Mond at the time. As development continued within the pits it soon became evident that four of these Pits became deepened as shafts. More so the company is known for following the same ore body to the east and west of its original discovery zone. Further so Ludwig Mond had other idea when started huge development procedures of the main shaft that was soon called Shaft No. 11. Engineering of this structure had soon commence when the company decided to make it into two compartments, one for the Man-Way and another one for hoisting the ore from the mine. A cross-cut section was soon reported to have been started by the company that was also being timbered at the time. Nevertheless, the shaft sinking phase would be constructed to 80 feet below ground at the time. Once ore producing level was shortly after opened up by the company which became cut on the mine's 50 foot section. Another shaft known as Shaft No. 12, strongly considered to be sunken to a depth of 70 feet, and connected with the No. 11 shafts first level at 50 feet. Ludwig Mond, and his crew soon had sunken this shaft 175 feet from the No. 11 shaft operation. As development continued towards greater depths the mine soon started to flood in with ground water. As this was all happening, Ludwig Mond had decided to install a pump station to over come this issue. Besides developing Shaft No. 12, he also constructed another shaft known as Shaft No. 10 that was engineered 270 feet east of shaft No. 12. Most of this development is opened up by a drift section on the 40 foot section, and is known for traveling a distance of 23 feet. During this timer period, Ludwig Mond was rather on another mission when he designed the main head-frame which would be 38 feet in height. Its also reported that a rock house became constructed next to this shaft, which was measured to have a foundation that was 32 by 27 feet and had its own height of 30 feet. Ore extraction procedures during this time had been place on Tramway that connects the Rock House and The Main Shaft. Once the ore makes its way up the Tramway to the third floor, it's than crushed by a 9 by 15 inch Blake Crusher. The second floor of the Rock House has sets of screens and picking tables., and the first floor was being used as a shipping area that would discharge the ore into Bins, where it will then be driven by a Tramway line to the Roast Yard.
In 1900, Ludwig Mond was also establishing his own power house that was located 20 feet south of the No. 11 shaft operation. Two different rooms are known to divide the engine room from the Boiler Room that operates the Power House. Before most of the foundations became demolished, the Engine Room was measured to be 30, by 30 feet, as the boiler room was engineered to be 30 by 20 feet. Most of the components that became installed within the engine room included a 50 Horsepower Double Drum Hoisting Engine, a straight line 5 drill rand Compressor, and a 20 horsepower Horizontal Engine that was once being used to operate all the machinery within the Rock House at one point in time. Almost all the installations in the Boiler Room had included three boilers, one that was 25 horsepower and, the other two that we're 60 horsepower. Further development on this site had included a Dynamite Magazine that was rather situated further away from the main shaft. Construction on this structure was mainly noted as a log frame house that had approximately six tons of dynamite during this period. All of this was being blasted by the use of a battery, and a dynamite preparation house was also handling one box of dynamite at a time. Further so the company was now being in gauge in developing the main mining settlement that would be located at Victoria Station. Some other facilities are also take progress within this small mining settlement town.
Most of the whole entire Victoria Mine Operation had soon became connected by 11,000 feet of aerial tramway that was engineered from the Rock House to the Roasting Yards at Victoria Station. Most of this work was being also contracted out to the Trenton Iron Company of Trenton, New Jersey. Even more so Ludwig Mond had other plans when he decided to move further with development in order to construct a smelter that would be situated on the Canadian Pacific Railway. In addition the Smelter would included the following machinery that was consisted of two Cupola Furnaces, two Converters, and is own accessary plant.
To process the ores after roasting he needed a nearby smelter. He built one a short distance south of the mine on the CPR, at a separate town site called Victoria Mines. Ore was mined and transported from Mond (Victoria Mine) to the roast yard, situated halfway between the mine and the smelter. Other ores from the Garson Mine and the North Star were also processed here. Approximately 20 men were employed at the roast yards under contract, receiving 22 cents for each ton processed. Since there were no ore bridges at the yards, muckers (people who shovel ore) were hired to muck in and muck out all the ore. The ore was then smelted and shipped to Clydach, Wales (U-K), for refining and casting.
Initially cordwood boilers powered the smelter. That lasted until 1909 when power was strung in from Lorne Falls. After the smelter was upgraded from steam power to hydro-electricity its maximum output passed from 60,000 tons to 130,000 tons annually, thereby doubling its capacity.
A bustling town site grew west of the smelter on the north side of the line. At different intervals 300-600 people resided in the town. An extensive community was established and included no less than three boarding houses, one apartment building and 50 single dwellings. In addition, there were three general stores, livery stables, an officials' club house, butcher shop, barber shop, bowling alley, bake shops, a doctor's office, and the Mond offices. A post office opened in 1900, along with two schools, one public and the other separate. The mine posted both a sheriff and a police constable on site and constructed a jail to house all potential law-breakers. Three churches were also established, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian and Anglican.
The CPR completed a station in 1904, which they later enlarged around 1908. A spur was added to service the smelter. There was also daily passenger service to Sault Sault Marie and Sudbury. A small section crew, posted nearby the station and water tower, serviced the railway yards.
The smelter employed 200 men by 1911, but plans for a newer and larger plant were already being drawn up. As the Mond deposit was now largely surpassed in production by the Garson Mine, it was thought to be more economical to roast and smelt the ore near its principal source. As well, the Canadian Pacific was linking its new Toronto line at Romford Juction 2.1 kilometres (1.5 miles) west of Coniston, which offered a lucrative connections to all four corners of the province. The smelter and yards were finally closed in 1913, and all machinery was transferred to the Coniston site.
In 1917, the Victoria No. 1 shaft was said to still have been the deepest shaft within the Sudbury region as it was sunken to a depth of 2,750 feet. Company officials would also design a perfect engineering plan that would further develop the mine to the 3,000 foot section, and another station would be cut. In general the mine had produced a massive tonnage of ore that year when 46,000 tons of ore became removed from underground stopeing which had taken place on all levels.
In its short 13 years of operation the smelter had two major shutdowns; the first lasted from Dec. 2nd, 1902 to the end of 1904, with a brief spurt of activity in 1903. The second occurred in 1907 when the aerial tramway was partially burnt. Production was halted until the necessary repairs were made.
There were also three fatalities. The first claimed two lives in 1908 when the boiler suddenly exploded instantly killing both men. The two men had evacuated all the workers, but remained inside attempting to relieve pressure from the boiler when it blew up. The second incident occurred in 1911 when one of the workers, John Baby, was crushed by an overturning ladle or tipping bucket.
Within the year only a hundred or so residents remained. All the workers relocated to Coniston where a new and larger town site was developing. Many of Coniston's first homes were moved from Victoria Mines. The Anglican and Presbyterian Churches were moved to Coniston as well, where they are still used to this day. The public school closed in 1914 and students walked 4.2 kilometres (three miles) to the school in Mond. The separate school, which served a larger area, remained opened for several years longer.
Victoria Mines' one claim to fame was the birth of Hector "Toe" Blake, infamous coach of the Montreal Canadiens. During the 1950s, when Toe was in his prime, a few structures, along with the post office, which closed in 1956, could still be found on the town site. However, by the 1980s, only three structures remained, and since then one has disappeared. Today a company home and the separate school still stand, along with a few foundations and the smelter waste rock
In 1900, most of this whole entire mining operation was rather said to have been transforming this claimed area. Several massive pits soon became the first exploration phase to be conducted by Ludwig Mond at the time. As development continued within the pits it soon became evident that four of these Pits became deepened as shafts. More so the company is known for following the same ore body to the east and west of its original discovery zone. Further so Ludwig Mond had other idea when started huge development procedures of the main shaft that was soon called Shaft No. 11. Engineering of this structure had soon commence when the company decided to make it into two compartments, one for the Man-Way and another one for hoisting the ore from the mine. A cross-cut section was soon reported to have been started by the company that was also being timbered at the time. Nevertheless, the shaft sinking phase would be constructed to 80 feet below ground at the time. Once ore producing level was shortly after opened up by the company which became cut on the mine's 50 foot section. Another shaft known as Shaft No. 12, strongly considered to be sunken to a depth of 70 feet, and connected with the No. 11 shafts first level at 50 feet. Ludwig Mond, and his crew soon had sunken this shaft 175 feet from the No. 11 shaft operation. As development continued towards greater depths the mine soon started to flood in with ground water. As this was all happening, Ludwig Mond had decided to install a pump station to over come this issue. Besides developing Shaft No. 12, he also constructed another shaft known as Shaft No. 10 that was engineered 270 feet east of shaft No. 12. Most of this development is opened up by a drift section on the 40 foot section, and is known for traveling a distance of 23 feet. During this timer period, Ludwig Mond was rather on another mission when he designed the main head-frame which would be 38 feet in height. Its also reported that a rock house became constructed next to this shaft, which was measured to have a foundation that was 32 by 27 feet and had its own height of 30 feet. Ore extraction procedures during this time had been place on Tramway that connects the Rock House and The Main Shaft. Once the ore makes its way up the Tramway to the third floor, it's than crushed by a 9 by 15 inch Blake Crusher. The second floor of the Rock House has sets of screens and picking tables., and the first floor was being used as a shipping area that would discharge the ore into Bins, where it will then be driven by a Tramway line to the Roast Yard.
In 1900, Ludwig Mond was also establishing his own power house that was located 20 feet south of the No. 11 shaft operation. Two different rooms are known to divide the engine room from the Boiler Room that operates the Power House. Before most of the foundations became demolished, the Engine Room was measured to be 30, by 30 feet, as the boiler room was engineered to be 30 by 20 feet. Most of the components that became installed within the engine room included a 50 Horsepower Double Drum Hoisting Engine, a straight line 5 drill rand Compressor, and a 20 horsepower Horizontal Engine that was once being used to operate all the machinery within the Rock House at one point in time. Almost all the installations in the Boiler Room had included three boilers, one that was 25 horsepower and, the other two that we're 60 horsepower. Further development on this site had included a Dynamite Magazine that was rather situated further away from the main shaft. Construction on this structure was mainly noted as a log frame house that had approximately six tons of dynamite during this period. All of this was being blasted by the use of a battery, and a dynamite preparation house was also handling one box of dynamite at a time. Further so the company was now being in gauge in developing the main mining settlement that would be located at Victoria Station. Some other facilities are also take progress within this small mining settlement town.
Most of the whole entire Victoria Mine Operation had soon became connected by 11,000 feet of aerial tramway that was engineered from the Rock House to the Roasting Yards at Victoria Station. Most of this work was being also contracted out to the Trenton Iron Company of Trenton, New Jersey. Even more so Ludwig Mond had other plans when he decided to move further with development in order to construct a smelter that would be situated on the Canadian Pacific Railway. In addition the Smelter would included the following machinery that was consisted of two Cupola Furnaces, two Converters, and is own accessary plant.
To process the ores after roasting he needed a nearby smelter. He built one a short distance south of the mine on the CPR, at a separate town site called Victoria Mines. Ore was mined and transported from Mond (Victoria Mine) to the roast yard, situated halfway between the mine and the smelter. Other ores from the Garson Mine and the North Star were also processed here. Approximately 20 men were employed at the roast yards under contract, receiving 22 cents for each ton processed. Since there were no ore bridges at the yards, muckers (people who shovel ore) were hired to muck in and muck out all the ore. The ore was then smelted and shipped to Clydach, Wales (U-K), for refining and casting.
Initially cordwood boilers powered the smelter. That lasted until 1909 when power was strung in from Lorne Falls. After the smelter was upgraded from steam power to hydro-electricity its maximum output passed from 60,000 tons to 130,000 tons annually, thereby doubling its capacity.
A bustling town site grew west of the smelter on the north side of the line. At different intervals 300-600 people resided in the town. An extensive community was established and included no less than three boarding houses, one apartment building and 50 single dwellings. In addition, there were three general stores, livery stables, an officials' club house, butcher shop, barber shop, bowling alley, bake shops, a doctor's office, and the Mond offices. A post office opened in 1900, along with two schools, one public and the other separate. The mine posted both a sheriff and a police constable on site and constructed a jail to house all potential law-breakers. Three churches were also established, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian and Anglican.
The CPR completed a station in 1904, which they later enlarged around 1908. A spur was added to service the smelter. There was also daily passenger service to Sault Sault Marie and Sudbury. A small section crew, posted nearby the station and water tower, serviced the railway yards.
The smelter employed 200 men by 1911, but plans for a newer and larger plant were already being drawn up. As the Mond deposit was now largely surpassed in production by the Garson Mine, it was thought to be more economical to roast and smelt the ore near its principal source. As well, the Canadian Pacific was linking its new Toronto line at Romford Juction 2.1 kilometres (1.5 miles) west of Coniston, which offered a lucrative connections to all four corners of the province. The smelter and yards were finally closed in 1913, and all machinery was transferred to the Coniston site.
In 1917, the Victoria No. 1 shaft was said to still have been the deepest shaft within the Sudbury region as it was sunken to a depth of 2,750 feet. Company officials would also design a perfect engineering plan that would further develop the mine to the 3,000 foot section, and another station would be cut. In general the mine had produced a massive tonnage of ore that year when 46,000 tons of ore became removed from underground stopeing which had taken place on all levels.
In its short 13 years of operation the smelter had two major shutdowns; the first lasted from Dec. 2nd, 1902 to the end of 1904, with a brief spurt of activity in 1903. The second occurred in 1907 when the aerial tramway was partially burnt. Production was halted until the necessary repairs were made.
There were also three fatalities. The first claimed two lives in 1908 when the boiler suddenly exploded instantly killing both men. The two men had evacuated all the workers, but remained inside attempting to relieve pressure from the boiler when it blew up. The second incident occurred in 1911 when one of the workers, John Baby, was crushed by an overturning ladle or tipping bucket.
Within the year only a hundred or so residents remained. All the workers relocated to Coniston where a new and larger town site was developing. Many of Coniston's first homes were moved from Victoria Mines. The Anglican and Presbyterian Churches were moved to Coniston as well, where they are still used to this day. The public school closed in 1914 and students walked 4.2 kilometres (three miles) to the school in Mond. The separate school, which served a larger area, remained opened for several years longer.
Victoria Mines' one claim to fame was the birth of Hector "Toe" Blake, infamous coach of the Montreal Canadiens. During the 1950s, when Toe was in his prime, a few structures, along with the post office, which closed in 1956, could still be found on the town site. However, by the 1980s, only three structures remained, and since then one has disappeared. Today a company home and the separate school still stand, along with a few foundations and the smelter waste rock
RSS Feed