Mining in Canada (to 1866)
A Chronology of
Minerals Development in Canada
B.C. 7000 • Evidence of mining an ancient quartzite quarry, Manitoulin Island, Ontario.
B.C. 4000 • First Nations trading in copper, Lake Superior region.
B.C. 2000 • Maritime Archaic Indians mine chert, Ramah Bay, Labrador coast (traded as far south as New
England).
B.C. 200 - 200 A.D. • Trading in silver from Cobalt area, Ontario.
998 • Vikings mine bog iron, L’Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland.
1540 • Beginning of the peak period of the Basque whaling station, Red Bay, Labrador. The peak period lasted until 1610.
1577 • Martin Frobisher mines 200 tons of rock, Countess of Warwick mine, Kodlunarn Island, near Iqaluit,
Baffin Island.
1583 • Prospecting in the vicinity of St. John’s, Newfoundland.
1600s • Production of dimension stone by the Acadians, New Brunswick.
1603 • Malachite discovered beneath a mountain "with a greenish hue," Gaspé, Quebec.
• First attempts at small-scale mining of lead-zinc and copper deposits in southern New Brunswick.
1604 • Discovery of silver and iron reported by Master Simon, a mining engineer accompanying Champlain, at St. Mary’s Bay, Nova Scotia. Native copper was also reported at Cap d’Or (Port aux Mines, Advocate Harbour).
• Champlain reports iron east of Saint John River, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick. This was the first
report of minerals in the province.
• Champlain investigates copper occurrences, discovered the year before, near Beaver Harbour, New Brunswick. This was possibly the first evaluation of mineral deposits by explorers.
1627 • Le Griffon, a seven-gun barque built by La Salle, was the first ship to sail on the upper Great Lakes.
1639 • Opening of a coal mine at Grand Lake, near Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick. The coal was shipped to Boston. This was the first production reported in the province. It was probably the first coal mine in North America.
1643 • Reported shipment of coal from New Brunswick to New England.
1650 • Mining of limestone in New Brunswick.
1654 • Louis XIV grants concession to Nicholas Denys to mine gold, silver and copper on Cape Breton
Island, Nova Scotia.
1666 • Discovery of ilmenite, St. Urbain area, Charlevoix County, Quebec.
1667 • Sieur de la Portardiére sent from France to investigate iron deposits at Baie St. Paul and St. Maurice
Valley.
1672 • Nicholas Denys reports the discovery of coal on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.
• Mining of coal seams at Sydney Mines, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
1677 • Intendant of New France, M. Duchesneau, imposes a royalty of 20 sous per ton of coal mined on Cape Breton.
1686 • Map by Franquelin shows Isle aux Meules (Grindstone Island), New Brunswick.
• The Chevalier de Troyes presented with samples of galena, from Baie aux Mines, Lake Timiskaming, by First Nations peoples. The occurrence later became the Wright mine.
1700s • Mining of gypsum in New Brunswick.
1701 • Quarrying of limestone near Saint John, New Brunswick. It was used in the rebuilding of Port Royal.
1711 • Admiral Walker obtains coal in Nova Scotia.
1719 • Cree Nation Aboriginals tell explorers of gum, or pitch, flowing out of the banks of the Athabaska River. This was the first indication of the existence of the Alberta oil sands.
1720 • Coal mining begins at Cow Bay, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The first mining of coal by regular mining methods in Canada. It was used at Fort Louisbourg. This was the first commercial coal mine in Canada.
1724 • Coal exported from Cape Breton to Boston, Massachusetts.
1729 • Smelting of bog iron ore at Les Forges du St. Maurice, Quebec (continued until 1883). This was the
first integrated industrial complex in Canada.
1736 • Second blast furnace in North America blown in at Les Forges du St. Maurice, Fermont, near Trois Rivières, Quebec (the first was built by Governor Spotswood in Virginia). Blown out in 1883.
• First Nations people oppose the landing of ships near Saint John, New Brunswick, for the purpose of transporting quarried limestone to Port Royal. This was possibly the first reported dispute concerning title to minerals.
1739 • Louis-Joseph de La Verendrye (the youngest son of the explorer) sent to examine minerals at Red
Cliff, south shore of Black Island, Manitoba.
1740 • Discovery of argentiferous galena at Anse à la Mine, Lake Temiskaming. The mine was later known as the Wright mine.
1744 • Bellin’s map of Canada shows the above.
1766 • First mining of coal from seams exposed in cliffs, Sydney Mines, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.
1770 • Jesuits experimented with native copper found at Point Mamaise, Lake Superior.
• Mining of copper at Mica Bay, Lake Superior, results in Canada’s first mining fatality.
• Mining of gypsum by farmers for fertilizer in Nova Scotia.
• Alexander Henry forms mining company to develop minerals near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
1771 • Samuel Hearne discovers native copper, Coppermine River near Arctic Ocean, Northwest Territories.
1779 • Earliest recorded gypsum mining, Nova Scotia.
1782 • Coal mined near Grand Lake, New Brunswick.
1784 • Government begins systematic mining of coal at Sydney, Nova Scotia.
1789 • Sir Alexander MacKenzie discovers coal on Great Bear River, Northwest Territories.
• Earliest attempt to smelt iron ore in Nova Scotia at Nictaux.
1791 • Constitution Act divides British North America into Upper Canada and Lower Canada.
1793 • Report of coal in the area of Drumheller, Alberta.
1796 • Hudson’s Bay Company begins construction of the Sault Ste. Marie Canal linking Lakes Huron and Superior. It was completed in 1798. The present canal was constructed between 1888 and 1895.
1798 • Building of the Bâtiscan furnace at Batiscan River, Quebec. L’Islet and Shawenegan furnaces were built about the same time. The latter, a failure, was used in an attempt to smelt titaniferous magnetite.
• David Thompson reports the presence of native copper at Point Mamaise, north of the Falls of St. Maries, Lake Superior.
• Discovery of Pictou coalfield, McCulloch’s Brook, Nova Scotia.
17?? • First ironworking in Ontario, from bog ores, at Chippawa, last years of the century.
1800 • First blast furnace and attempt to smelt iron in Ontario at Furnace Falls (Lyndhurst), at the falls of the Gananoque River, Leeds County, Ontario.
• Discovery of coal, Saskatchewan River.
1801 • Discovery of iron deposits, later the Forsyth mine, Hull, Quebec.
1803 • First use of a locomotive on a railroad at a coal mine railway, Wales, United Kingdom.
1807 • Mining of coal begins, Pictou County, Nova Scotia.
1809 • First sailing on November 1 of John Molsons’ Accommodation. This marked the introduction of
steam navigation on the St. Lawrence River.
1811 • Alexander Henry observes coal in eastern flanks of Rocky Mountains.
1812 • Mention of magnetite at narrows of Knee Lake, Manitoba.
• Blast furnace erected by John Mason to smelt bog iron ores, Potter’s Creek, Lake Erie, later Normandale, Ontario (unsuccessful).
• The United States declares war on Canada (Canada won).
1813 • First attempts to mine salt in Nova Scotia.
• Maiden voyage of John Molson’s Swiftsure. His second steamship, it was then the largest steamship in North America.
1815 • Sir Humphrey Davy invents the miner’s safety lamp.
1816 • Mining of gypsum deposits, for fertilizer, Hillsborough, New Brunswick.
• Steel pipes and steam-powered pumps replace the wooden conduits used to supply water to the city of Montréal.
1820 • Opening of the Blairton mine, the first iron mine in Ontario, Blairton-Marmora area, Ontario.
• Blast furnace to treat Blairton ores built by Charles Hayes, Crow River, Marmora Township, Hastings County, Ontario.
• Discovery of iron formations, Woodstock, New Brunswick.
• Dr. John J. Bigsby, a geologist who was a surgeon with the British army, is commissioned to examine the geology of Upper Canada.
1821 • Amalgamation of Hudson’s Bay Company and North West Company.
1822 • Production begins, Marmora Ironworks, Marmora, Ontario. Government of Ontario proposes to buy it in 1837 for manufacture of iron by convicts. Purchased in 1847, by Joseph Van Norman, of the Charlotteville furnace.
• First record of gypsum mining in Ontario, near Paris.
1823 • Manufacture of pig iron from bog iron ore, township of Charlotteville, Norfolk County, Ontario.
• Blast furnace at Normandale, Ontario, back in operation.
• Discovery of gold, Chaudière Valley, Beauce County, Quebec.
• First mill for manufacturing gypsum, Paris, Ontario.
1824 • Issue of patents to Charles Hayes for 8534 acres in Belmont Township. The Big Ore bed, or Blairton
(iron) mine, Ontario, were included.
1825 • Beginning of commercial coal mining, New Brunswick.
• Copper reported, Coxheath, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
• Opening of the Lachine Canal, to bypass the St. Louis Rapids, from the Old Port of Montréal to Lake Saint-Louis. The canal was enlarged several times.
• Construction begins on the Welland Canal linking the western end of Lake Ontario to the eastern end of Lake Erie. The canal system, bypassing Niagara Falls, has been enlarged several times. There are presently two channels available for some of the route.
1826 • Crown grants rights to all minerals in Nova Scotia to Frederick, Duke of York.
• Erection of Annapolis Iron Works, Moose River, Clementsport, Nova Scotia. It operated for a few
years and then again in 1862, 1872, 1873 and 1885.
• Formation of General Mining Association, Nova Scotia. Duke of York sub-leases his rights.
• Report of low-grade iron ore, Woodstock, New Brunswick.
• Mining begins, Forsyth iron mine, Hull, Quebec.
• Formation of General Mining Association, Nova Scotia.
1827 • General Mining Association takes over Pictou coal field, Nova Scotia.
• Opening of the Rideau Canal Tramway, which was used to haul limestone blocks from a quarry at Hog’s Back, south of Ottawa (then Bytown) to the locks beside the Parliament Buildings. It was abandoned upon completion of the Rideau Canal in 1832.
1828 • General Mining Association explores for copper at Cariboo, Nova Scotia.
1829 • Discovery of apatite in the Lièvre River area, Quebec.
• General Mining Association opens coke blast furnace, New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. This was the first use of coke for metallurgical purposes in Canada.
• First mining of Nictaux-Torbrook iron deposits, Nova Scotia.
• First use of metal rails in Canada.
• After five years of construction, opening of the Welland Canal between Lakes Ontario and Erie. This permitted transportation by water deep into the North American continent.
1830 • Report of an iron deposit at Hull, Quebec.
• First mine shaft in Nova Scotia at Sydney.
1831 • Construction of a furnace, by Messrs. Cahoon and Field, to smelt bog iron, Olinda, Gosfield
Township, Ontario.
• Launching of John Molson’s John Bull. At 200 feet long, it was then the largest steamship in the world.
1832 • Completion of the Rideau Canal through which Ottawa (then Bytown) was linked with Kingston, Ontario.
1834 • Coal mining begins, Springhill, Nova Scotia.
1835 • Coal discovered at Suquash area, Milbank Sound, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. This was the earliest discovery in the province.
• Construction of the Champlain and St. Lawrence Railway, the first railway in Canada.
1836 • Beginning of coal mining on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
• Inaugural run, July 21, of the locomotive Dorchester on the Champlain and St. Lawrence Railway.
1837 • Construction of a furnace to smelt iron by Uriah Seymour, Madoc, Ontario.
• First borehole drilled for coal exploration in Grand Lake Basin, New Brunswick.
• Earliest recorded mining in the Bathurst area, New Brunswick, when copper was mined from a deposit on the Nepisiquit River.
• City Gas Light Company installs first gas lighting in Montréal, Quebec.
• First level-crossing accident in Canada, when the locomotive La Prairie collides with a team of oxen at Côte-Saint-Raphael. The first railway fatality in Canada occurred the same year.
1838 • Erection of a plaster mill in connection with gypsum mines operating in the area, Grand River, Oneida Township, York, Ontario.
1839 • Formation of Geological Survey of Newfoundland.
Ca. 1840s
• Mining of gypsum, Hillsborough area, New Brunswick. Mining in the area continued until 1982.
• Mining of graphite, Saint John area, New Brunswick.
1840 • Production of first hydraulic cement in Canada, Hull, Quebec.
1841 • Opening of limestone quarries, later the Thorold Hydraulic Cement Mills, Thorold, Ontario.
• Recognition of bituminous shales in New Brunswick.
• John A. Roebling conceives and manufactures first successful wire rope in the United States.
• Use of local coal by blacksmiths, Fort Edmonton, Edmonton, Alberta.
1842 • Founding of Geological Survey of Canada (GSC), Montréal, Quebec.
• Mining of manganese at Tetagouche Falls, New Brunswick (until 1960).
• Completion of the Beauharnois Canal to bypass the Cascades, Cedar and Coteau rapids. Its completion permitted navigation between Lake St. Francis and Lake St. Louis on the St. Lawrence
River.
1843 • Completion of the Cornwall Canal to bypass the Long Sault rapids of the St. Lawrence River. It was enlarged beginning in 1876.
• Construction of the Williamsburg Canals (Farran’s Point Canal [Dickinson’s Landing], Rapide-Plat Canal [Morrisburg], and Galops Canal [Cardinal]) to bypass rapids on the St. Lawrence River. These were completed by 1856.
• Formation of the Geological Survey of Canada.
1845 • Canada’s first graphite mine, the Miller (Keystone) mine, Grenville, Quebec.
• W.L. Logan examines rocks along the Ottawa River.
1846 • First discovery of nickel in Ontario by Sterry Hunt (GSC); became the Wallace mine, 1847, Bay of Islands, Lake Huron.
• Opening of Bruce, Wellington and Huron Copper Bay mines. West Canada Mining Company, Bruce Mines, Ontario (closed 1875), was at one time the most famous mining centre in Canada.
• Report of silver veins, Thunder Bay, Ontario.
• Construction of gypsum calcining plant, Paris, Ontario.
• Sir William Logan reports oil seepages on Gaspé Peninsula, Quebec.
1847 • Normandale iron furnace shut down, Ontario.
• Discovery of several rich gold deposits, Beauce County, Quebec.
• First report (GSC) of copper ores in Eastern Townships, Quebec.
• Discovery of corundum in Lanark County, Ontario, by Sterry Hunt (GSC).
• Beginning of gypsum mining near Hillsborough, New Brunswick.
• Attempts to mine disseminated graphite, Buckingham region, Quebec.
• General Mining Association begins operating a coal mine in the Cumberland Basin, Nova Scotia.
1848 • J. Van Norman begins operations of blast furnace, Marmora, Ontario.
• Montréal Mining Company begins mining Bruce mine in Ontario. It operated until 1875.
• Canada’s first copper smelter, Bruce Mines, Ontario (until 1850).
• Opening of the Forsyth mine, Hull, Quebec (operated over 100 years).
• First discovery of nickel in Canada, by Alexander Murray, GSC, near the mouth of the Whitefish River at Lake Huron. Known as the Wallace mine, there was no production from the small deposit.
• Discovery of gold by settlers, Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia.
• Formation of Acadian Iron Mining Association, Nova Scotia.
• Erection of blast furnace, Saint John River, New Brunswick.
• Operations begin, Woodstock iron-manganese deposits, New Brunswick. This continued until 1884.
1849 • First mining of limonite, Londonderry, Nova Scotia. This continued until 1906.
• Use of the Welsh process, involving reverberatory furnaces, at Bruce Mines, Ontario.
• Discovery of albertite, near Hillsborough, New Brunswick. The deposits were mined until 1870. Ca. 1850s
• Small-scale mining of coal, Beersville, New Brunswick.
• Investigation of copper veins, Tetagouche River, New Brunswick.
1850 • Establishment of iron works, Londonderry, Nova Scotia.
• Location of Douglas coal seam, Nanaimo, British Columbia.
• Mining of albertite (until 1865), a solid hydrocarbon, Albert County, New Brunswick. It was mined until 1880.
• One of the first attempts to mine and refine oil shale, Baltimore, near Moncton, New Brunswick.
• Completion of first dredging of St. Lawrence River upriver from Montréal.
• Mining of manganese at Tetagouche Falls, New Brunswick (until about 1860).
• Discovery of Douglas coal seam, Nanaimo, ritish Columbia.
1852 • Hudson’s Bay Company sends a Factor, J.W. McKay, from Victoria, to take possession of the Nanaimo coal field and to collect royalties from users, British Columbia. Mining begins in the area.
• Free gold discovered at Mitchell Harbour, Queen Charlotte Islands. This triggered the first gold rush in British Columbia.
• Geological Survey of Canada (Murray) reports magnetic iron ore at Mud Lake, Newboro, Ontario, on the Rideau Canal.
• Construction of first charcoal blast furnace in Nova Scotia, Londonderry.
• Discovery of coal, Newcastle Island, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
1853 • Governor James Douglas issues the first proclamation relating to mining in British Columbia.
• Mining of amorphous graphite begins, Split Rock and Marble Cove, near Saint John, New Brunswick.
• Opening of Great Western Railway main line from Windsor to Niagara Falls, Ontario.
1854 • Mining of slate for roofing material, south of St. Lawrence River, Quebec.
• Blowing in of blast furnace by J. Van Norman, Houghton Township, Norfolk County, Ontario.
• Construction of gypsum crushing and calcining plant, Hillsborough, New Brunswick.
• Invention of the diamond drill by Hermann.
• Development of the Blake jaw crusher in the United States.
1855
• Finding of placer gold at the mouth of the Pend d’Oreille River, British Columbia.
• Acadian Iron Mining Association erects charcoal blast furnace, Londonderry, Nova Scotia.
1856 • Geological Survey of Canada (Hunt and Murray) report existence of nickel and copper, Sudbury district, Ontario.
• Montréal Mining Company acquires native copper locations, Point Mamaise, east side of Lake Superior. These locations were sold in 1871 to the Ontario Mineral Lands Company and later merged into the Silver Islet Consolidated Mining and Lands Company. In 1890, it was taken over by the Canada Lands Purchase.
• Discovery of Creighton nickel-copper orebody, Lively, Ontario (mining began in 1901).
1857 • Initial shafts sunk at Point Mamaise, then idle for 17 years, when exploration resumed. Further shafts sunk in 1884.
• Discovery of oil, Williams No. 1 Well, Enniskillen Township, Lambton County, Ontario. This was developed into the first oil well on the North American continent, Oil Springs, Ontario.
• Discovery of copper, Tilt Cove, Newfoundland.
• Gold reported at junction of Fraser and Thompson rivers, British Columbia.
• Discovery of coal, Souris River, Manitoba.
• Washing of gold from beach sand near Halifax, Nova Scotia.
• Governor James Douglas issues proclamation relating to gold mines in the Kamloops, Ashcroft and Vernon areas, British Columbia.
• Issuing of proclamation concerning gold mines in the Kamloops, Ashcroft, and Vernon areas, British Columbia.
1858 • Gold rush, sand bars of the lower Fraser River, British Columbia.
• Traces of gold discovered, Tangier River, Nova Scotia.
• First mining at the Ramsey lead mine, Carleton Place, Ontario.
• Legislature of Nova Scotia obtains possession and assumes control of mines and minerals in the province.
• First producing oil well on the North American continent, Lambton County, Ontario.
• First official discovery of gold in Nova Scotia, Mooseland, Halifax County.
• Introduction of decimal currency in Canada.
1859 • Drilling of well for petroleum, St. Joseph, New Brunswick. Until 1875, six wells were drilled and the St. Joseph field outlined. Commercial development was prevented by the influx of water.
• Goldfields Act of British Columbia.
• Introduction of silver coinage in Canada.
• Discovery of gold, Horsefly River, Cariboo, British Columbia.
• Discovery of gold, North Saskatchewan River, near Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.
• Placer mining in Cariboo and Quesnel areas, British Columbia.
Ca. 1860
• Production of copper ore, Mascarene Peninsula, New Brunswick.
• Discovery of Vernon mine copper orebody on the Bay of Fundy, south of Sussex, New Brunswick.
1860 • Gold rush, Cariboo district, British Columbia.
• Discovery of asbestos, St. Joseph, Des Plantes River region, Quebec.
• Gold discovered in Tangier district, Nova Scotia.
• Copper discovered in the Eastern Townships of Quebec.
• Building of the Radnor Forges blast furnace, Rivière Au Lard, 15 miles from Trois-Rivières, Quebec.
A more modern furnace was blown in in 1892.
• Beginning of mica mining in Ontario with sale of carefully selected sheets from North Burgess Township to the French navy.
• First drilling for oil in Gaspé, Quebec.
• Government Assay Department established at New Westminster, British Columbia.
• Construction of crushing plant, Wellington copper mine, Ontario.
• Mining at the Markhamville manganese mine, Sussex area, New Brunswick. Production continued until 1890. Manganese was also mined in the mid-1800s at Tetagouche Falls in the Bathurst area.
1861 • Gold discovered in Williams Creek, Cariboo, British Columbia.
• Gold discovered in Oldham district, Halifax County, Nova Scotia.
• Nova Scotia government takes possession of Tangier district to protect landowners and secure mineral rights.
• First oil refinery to operate in Ontario at Petrolia.
1862
• Beginning of Cariboo Road, Yale to Barkerville, British Columbia.
• First production of oil at Oil Springs, Ontario.
• Gold discovered in Lawrencetown, Isaacs Harbour and Renfrew districts, Nova Scotia.
• Installation of first conventional stamp mill in Nova Scotia, Mooseland.
• Mint established in British Columbia. It ceased operations a few years later.
• Production begins, Goldenville gold district, Nova Scotia. This became the largest producing district in Nova Scotia.
1863 • Publication of Geology of Canada, Geological Survey of Canada.
• Geological Survey of Canada reports on antimony deposit, South Ham Township, Quebec.
• Gold discovered at Wildhorse Creek, Kootenays, British Columbia.
• Opening of Glace Bay Colliery, Glace Bay, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1892).
• Opening of Clyde/Ontario Colliery, Glace Bay, Nova Scotia (this small colliery closed in 1892).
• Opening of International Colliery, Bridgeport, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1892).
• Opening of Mira Colliery, Mira Bay, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia (this small colliery operated
for one year, with a small quantity also mined in 1870).
• Opening of Gowrie Colliery, Port Morien, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1892).
• Opening of Lingan Colliery, New Waterford, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1886 and re-opened in 1972).
• Opening of Sydney Mines Colliery, Sydney Mines, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia (it closed, after almost 100 years, in 1962).
• Opening of Collins Colliery, Little Bras d’Or Bridge, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1878).
• Discovery of antimony at Lake George, New Brunswick.
• Sinking of three shafts in Lake George antimony deposits (until 1869).
• Opening of first railway in western Canada by New Vancouver Coal Mining Company, Nanaimo area, Vancouver Island.
• Opening of Capelton and Albert copper mines, Eastern Townships, Quebec. The mines closed in 1907.
1864 • Mining begins, Tilt Cove, Newfoundland.
• Placer gold discovered, Leech Creek, British Columbia.
• Opening of Shives coal pit, Dunsinane, New Brunswick.
• Staking of claims for copper, Howe Sound and Knight Inlet, British Columbia.
• Discovery of antimony, Lake George, Fredericton area, New Brunswick. Production was sporadic for about 100 years.
• Discovery of copper minerals south of Bathurst, New Brunswick. The site was developed by Key Anacon in 1953.
• Opening of Caledonia Colliery, Glace Bay, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1892).
• Copper noted at Grand Falls and a gossan discovered on the Nepisiguit River, New Brunswick. The latter became the Key Anacon property.
1865 • Discovery of the Eustis copper orebody, Capelton, Quebec. Mining began the same year.
• Development begins, Ely mine, Eastern Townships, Quebec.
• Dewdney Trail completed, Hope to Wildhorse, British Columbia.
• Mining of barite begins in Canada, Eureka mine, Five Islands, near Truro, Nova Scotia.
• Staking of placer claims, Big Bend area, Columbia River, British Columbia.
• Moisie Iron Mining Company exploits magnetic black sands, Moisie River, Quebec.
• Gold discovered, Mount Uniacke district, Nova Scotia.
• Discovery of iron ore, Hull-Templeton Township line, Quebec.
• Mining of coal by Cape Breton Coal Mining Company begins at Port Hood, west coast of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.
• Coal mining begins, Inverness, Mabou-Inverness Coalfield, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.
• Opening of Matheson Colliery, Little Bras d’Or Bridge, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia (this small colliery closed in 1869).
• Development of the Burleigh piston-type rock drill.
1866
• First mining at the Playfair (Dalhousie) iron mine, Playfairville, Ontario.
• Discovery of the Richardson gold mine orebody at Madoc, Ontario. This triggered a gold rush to the Madoc-Marmora area. This was the first discovery of gold in the Canadian Shield.
• Grand Trunk Railway Company experiments with using peat for locomotive fuel.
• First mining of barite in Canada, Bass River, Five Islands, Nova Scotia.
• Mining begins, Frontenac lead mine, Loughborough Township, Ontario.
• Discovery of high-grade silver ores, Silver Islet, Lake Superior, Ontario.
• First recorded production of salt in Ontario, near Maitland River.
• Alfred Bernard Nobel discovers the method for making dynamite.
• Nitroglycerine introduced in the United States during the driving of the Hoosac tunnel.
1867
• Canada Iron Mining and Manufacturing Company builds a blast furnace at the Forsyth mine, Hull, Quebec (unsuccessful).
• Iron Moisic Company builds furnaces at Moisic, Saguenay region, Quebec, to process magnetic beach sands (operated until 1876).
• Mining of coal begins at Chimney Corner, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.
• Opening of Victoria Colliery, New Waterford, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1893).
• Opening of Ingraham Colliery, Low Point, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia (this small colliery
closed in 1876).
• Opening of Anglo Colliery, New Campbellton, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1924).
• Opening of Black Rock Colliery, Boularderie Island, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia (this small colliery closed in 1874).
• Opening of Chimney Corner Colliery, Chimney Corner, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia (this small colliery closed in 1952).
• Opening of Albion Colliery, Stellarton, Pictou County, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1942).
• Opening of Acadia Colliery, Westville, Pictou County, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1920).
• Opening of MacBean/Vale Colliery, Thorburn, Pictou County, Nova Scotia (it operated for over 100 years and closed in 1971).
• Opening of German/Marsh Colliery, New Glasgow, Pictou County, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1909).
• Opening of Montréal and Pictou Collieries, East River, Pictou County, Nova Scotia (these small collieries operated only in 1867).
• Opening of MacKay Colliery, East River, Pictou County, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1870).
• Opening of Nova Scotia Colliery, Middle River of Pictou, Pictou County, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1878).
• Opening of Joggins Colliery, Joggins, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia (it closed almost 100 years later in 1966).
• Opening of Victoria Mines Colliery, River Hebert, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1941).
• Opening of Chignecto Colliery, Maccan, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1948).
• Opening of Maccan/Lawson Colliery, Maccan Station, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1940).
1868
• Discovery of the Silver Islet orebody, Thunder Bay, Lake Superior. Operated from 1870 to 1884.
• Discovery of gold, Deloro, Ontario.
• Mining of barite, Brookfield, Nova Scotia.
• End of oil refining, Oils Springs, Ontario.
• Mining of stibnite deposits begins, Lake George, New Brunswick. These were worked intermittently until 1931.
• Opening of Drummond Colliery, Westville, Nova Scotia (underground mining ceased in 1984).
• Opening of Blockhouse Colliery, Port Morien, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1888).
• Opening of South Head/Cow Bay Colliery, Port Morien, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia (this small colliery was mined until 1877).
• Opening of Gardiner Colliery, New Waterford, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia (it closed in 1892).
• Opening of Montréal & New Glasgow Colliery, Coal Brook, Pictou County, Nova Scotia (this small colliery closed the same year).
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