well.
yes.
1929
• The Siscoe gold mine in Quebec started production.
• The Monarch mine’s new 300-ton mill in British Columbia started producing.
• The Dome mine/mill at the Porcupine camp in Ontario was destroyed by fire in October.
• The Mclntyre mine at Porcupine, Ontario, erected a small flotation plant.
(The price of a share of Lakeshore Gold Mines hit $65.00, equal to 975 dollars today.)
1930
• Canada attained the position of the world’s second largest gold producer.
• The Royal Canadian Mint’s price for gold changed from being constant at under $21/oz since 1926 to rise to
$35/oz in 1934.
• Gold was discovered in Bannockburn Township, Ontario, on what was later known as the Ashley mine.
• Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta assumed responsibility for natural resources from the federal
government.
• A new mill at the Howey mine at Red Lake, Ontario, commenced operations.
• The Granada mine in Quebec commenced production.
1931
• Equalization exchange premiums were paid by the Dominion government to gold miners.
• Exports of gold bullion without licence were prohibited by the Dominion government.
• Great Britain went off the gold standard on September 21 and was followed by many other countries.
• The Lake Shore mine in Ontario installed a 200-ton flotation unit in its mill.
• Gold was discovered in the Swayze and Three Duck Lake areas of Ontario.
• The Parkhill, Minto and Toburn (Tough-Oakes) mines in Ontario came into production.
• Gold was discovered at Island Lake, Manitoba.
• Canadian Copper Refiners Ltd. operated a new copper refinery at Montréal-Est, Quebec.
• The Nickel Plate mine at Hedley, British Columbia, closed down.
1932
• The Union of South Africa abandoned the gold standard.
• The Ashley and Moss mines commenced production in Ontario.
• The O’Brien, Cadillac and Bussière mines in Quebec commenced gold milling.
• The San Antonio mine in Manitoba commenced production.
• Gold was discovered at God’s Lake, Manitoba.
• The first official statistics of metal production for Saskatchewan were recorded.
• The McLeod River Mining Corporation operated a gold dredge near Peers, Alberta.
• The mill at the Braylorne mine in British Columbia was brought on stream.
• The Treadwell Yukon mill in the Yukon was permanently shut down and the camp was abandoned.
1933
• The United States went off the gold standard.
• The amalgamation of the Toronto and Standard Mining Stock Exchanges was agreed upon.
• The Monarch mine at Field, British Columbia, resumed production.
• The Beattie Gold mine in Quebec began production of concentrates.
• The Green-Stabell gold mine in Quebec commenced milling.
• The Oro Grande mine in Manitoba commenced milling.
• The Macassa mine at Kirkland Lake, Ontario, commenced milling.
• Cariboo Gold Quartz Mining Co. commenced gold production near Barkerville, British Columbia
1934
• On January 31, the President of the United States issued a proclamation reducing the weight of the U.S. dollar from 25.8 to 15 5/21 grains of 0.9 fine gold.
• The Royal Canadian Mint’s price for gold was first pegged at US$35 per fine ounce and the Mint’s buying price varied because of the relationship between the Canadian and U.S. dollars.
• The Dominion tax on gold came into effect on April 19.
• The Guysboro mine began operating in Nova Scotia.
• The Perron and Sullivan mines commenced milling, and a 50-ton amalgamation mill came into production at
the McWatters mine in Quebec.
• Milling commenced at the Little Long Lac, J.M. Consolidated, Northern Empire, Matachewan Consolidated, Young-Davidson, and Central Patricia mines in Ontario.
• Gold was discovered south of Beaverlodge Lake in Saskatchewan.
• The Rex and Gem mines resumed operation and the Oro Grande mine suspended production in Manitoba.
• Milling commenced at the Dentonia, Island Mountain and Kootenay Bell mines in British Columbia.
1935
• The Dominion government transferred gold held against Dominion notes to the Bank of Canada.
• The gold bullion tax was discontinued after May 31 and depletion allowances were revised for payments of
gold mining dividends.
• The Caribou mine opened in Nova Scotia.
• The Arntfield, Canadian Malartic and Lamaque mines came into production in Quebec and the Granda mine
suspended production.
• In Ontario, the Pickle Crow, Ross, and McKenzie Red Lake mines commenced milling, the Canusa mine sus-
pended operations, and gold-bearing veins were discovered in the Sachigo River area.
• New mills came into production at the Ymir Yankee Girl, Second Relief, and Sheep Creek mines in British
Columbia, while the Nickel Plate mine resumed production after years of inactivity and the Monarch mine
suspended milling.
• In Manitoba, milling commenced at the God’s Lake mine, and the Island Lake mine suspended production.
1936
• An Amendment to the Income Tax Act exempted new producing metal mines for three years.
• The first cyanide gold mill was erected in Nova Scotia at the Seal Harbour mine.
• A cave-in occurred at the Moose River mine in Nova Scotia.
• The Stadacona-Rouyn, Thompson Cadillac, Belleterre and Shawkey mines were brought into production in
Quebec.
• A road from Amos to Val-d’Or, Quebec, was completed.
• In Ontario, the Pamour and Red Lake Gold Shore mines came into production, the Argosy mine opened a
125-ton mill, and the Ashley and Ardeen mines closed.
• The Gunnar mine commenced production and the Rex (Laguna) mine resumed operations in Manitoba.
• Gold was discovered at Sulphide Lake, Saskatchewan.
• In British Columbia, production resumed at the Surf Inlet mine and new mills began operating at the
Bayonne, Hedley Mascot, Wesko and Kootenay Belle mines. The Dentonia mine ceased milling.
1937
• The Gold Clauses Act was passed.
• The Nova Scotia government re-opened the Lacey mine as a training project.
• In Quebec, the Sigma, Normetal and Powell Rouyn mines commenced milling, the Aldermac, Waite Amulet
and Cournor mines resumed production, and the Tetreault mine closed.
• Mining claims staked in Quebec reached a record high to date of 18 841.
• The Quebec Legislature passed a law enacting that a company must be constituted by a Quebec charter to
acquire mining rights belonging to the Crown.
• In Ontario, milling commenced at the Delnite, Raven River, Gold Eagle, Bankfield and New Golden Rose
mines, the Sand River mine came into production, and the Hudson Patricia and Tashota mines closed.
• The Gurney mine came on stream and the Beresford Lake mine resumed production in Manitoba.
• Goldfield officially created a village in Saskatchewan.
• New gold mills began operating at the Polaris Taku and Durango mines in British Columbia.
1938
• A vocational mine school was organized by the Quebec Bureau of Mines at the Gale mine, and a Superior
School of Mines, Geology and Metallurgy was established in Quebéc City.
• The Rouyn-Louvicourt road was completed in western Quebec.
• The C.N.R. Bonneterre-Rouyn rail line was completed in northwestern Quebec.
• The East Malartic, Francoeur, Halliwell, Lapa Cadillac, Lake Rose, Pan Canadian, Payore and Sladen-
Malartic mines opened in Quebec.
• The Hallnor, Golden Gate, Upper Canada, Kerr-Addison, Cline, Mesabi, Madsen Red Lake, Moneta, Sachigo
River, McLeod-Cockshutt, Hardrock, Straw Lake Beach and Tombill mines commenced production in
Ontario, and the Parkhill, Algold and Morris Kirkland mines closed.
• The Privateer Spud Valley, Cariboo Hudson and Gold Belt mines commenced production in British Columbia,
and the Durango and Wesko mills ceased milling.
• The first continuous lode gold mining began in the Northwest Territories and the first gold brick was poured
at the Consolidated-Rycon mine.
• Gold was discovered at Thompson, Wray and Russell lakes in the Northwest Territories.
1939
• Canada declared war against Germany on September 10.
• A new Gold Clauses Act was passed.
• An Income Tax Act amendment afforded tax credit to the mining industry as a whole.
• The Negus mine began production in the Northwest Territories.
• The Guysborough mine opened and the Montague mine closed in Nova Scotia.
• The Eustis mine closed and the AMM, Central Cadillac and Wood Cadillac mines came into production in
Quebec.
• The Quebec government established an ore sampling plant at its mine school.
• The Chesterville, Tyranite, Preston East Dome, De Santis, Broulan, Magnet Consolidated, Uchi, Cochenour
Willans, Kenricia, Ranson, Jellicoe, and Berens River mines came into production, and the Cordova and
Magino (former Algoma Summit) mines re-opened in Ontario.
• The Mace, Lebel Oro, Minto, Elora and Hiawatha mines closed, and the Raven River mine ceased milling in
Ontario.
• The Gurney and Laguna (Rex) mines suspended operations in Manitoba.
• The Box mine began production in Saskatchewan.
• Mills were completed at the Central Zeballos and Mount Zeballos properties in British Columbia.
1940
• Foreign exchange control was institutionalized in response to the war.
• The gold and foreign exchange reserves of the Bank of Canada were brought together under one central
Exchange Fund controlled by the Foreign Exchange Control Board, subject to the direction of the Minister of
Finance.
• Bank of Canada gold reserves were not allowed to be published, and gross import and export statistics for
gold were temporarily suspended from September 1939.
• During the previous three years, the Bank of Canada increased gold and foreign exchange holdings in order
to have additional resources available in case of war
• The Canadian Minister of Finance stated "In normal times, it is essential that a central bank should maintain a substantial reserve of gold and foreign exchange, for if it does not do so, it is not well equipped to face an emergency."
• Practically all new bullion produced in the Dominion from Canadian ore was sold to the Dominion govern-
ment through the Royal Canadian Mint in Ottawa or at the Dominion Assay office at Vancouver. The gold
was refined into fine gold bars weighing approximately 400 oz each and disposed of in world markets
wherever the most advantageous net price could be obtained.
• The Quebec Legislature passed the Unwrought Metal Sales Act to facilitate the suppression of illegal traffic in
precious metals and repealed a 1937 law requiring companies to be incorporated under a law of the province
to acquire mining rights on public land.
• In 1940, 278 mines reported production compared to 232 in 1939 and 33 in 1923. Employees in the lode gold
mining industry totaled 31 405 compared with 30 622 in 1939 and 5524 in 1923.
• Dividends paid during 1940, as computed from actual returns made by the lode gold mining industry, totaled
$39 431 890.
• The Mine Apprentice Project at Chester Basin, Nova Scotia, closed after three years of operation. The war
changed the need to train youths in the art of hard rock mining.
• The Victoria gold mine opened at Goldboro, Nova Scotia.
• The Amm and Mooshla mines ceased production, and the Pandora and Senator-Rouyn mines opened in
Quebec.
• In Ontario, the Cordova, Addington, Kenricia, Jellicoe, and J.M. Consolidated mines closed while the former
Argosy and Upper Seine gold mines re-opened, the Faymar mine opened, and the McMaramac Red Lake and
Aunor mines shipped bullion for the first time.
• The first concrete headframe in Canada was erected at the Hollinger mine in Ontario.
• Beresford Lake Mines Ltd. ceased production in Manitoba.
• Saskatchewan gold production exceeded 100 000 oz for the first time and the Monarch mine re-opened.
• Slave Lake Gold Mines resumed production in the Northwest Territories.
• A hydro-electric plant was completed at Prosperous Lake in the Northwest Territories.
1941
• Canada’s gold production reached a record level of 166.3 t (5 345 179 oz), which was not surpassed until 1991.
• Restrictions on certain materials and equipment because of war prevented extensive expansion of the
industry.
• The export of gold, whether in the form of coin or bullion (including ore, etc.) from the Dominion of Canada
continued to be prohibited under provisions of the Gold Export Act of 1932, except in cases deemed advisable
by the Minister of Finance.
• Seal Harbour Gold Mines closed in Nova Scotia.
• In Ontario, Hoyle Gold Mines, Ltd., Bonetal Gold Mines, Ltd., and the Jerome mine began production while
mining ceased at the New Golden Rose, St. Anthony, Golden Eagle and Howey mines.
• A general strike by mine workers towards the end of the year severely affected production in the Kirkland
Lake area of Ontario.
• The Ptarmigan and Thompson-Lundmark mines opened in the Northwest Territories.
1942
• Canadian gold production fell for the first time since 1923, largely due to shortages of labour, equipment and
supplies resulting from the increasing intensity of World War II.
• The Seal Harbour mine closed and the Guysboro mine suspended operations in Nova Scotia.
• The Mic-Mac and West Malartic mines opened and the Arntfield, Wood Cadillac, Pandora and Cournor mines
ceased or suspended production in Quebec.
• In Ontario, the Golden Gate, Crescent, De Santis, Faymar, Nakhodas, Naybob, Tyranite and Rundle mines
suspended operations, and the Renabie, Cline Lake, Bankfield, Tombill, Elmos, Sturgeon River, Sand River
and Jason mines closed.
• Manitoba permitted the employment of women for surface work at mines.
• The Gunnar mine in Manitoba closed.
• In Saskatchewan, the Box mine closed and the Pamon mine plant was destroyed by fire.
• The Polaris-Taku, Surf Inlet, Bayonne, Buccanneer, Central Zeballos, Homeward, Mount Zeballos, Spud
Valley, Ymir Yankee Girl, and Vancouver Island Drilling and Exploration mines closed in British Columbia.
• The Ptarmigan mine closed in the Northwest Territories.
1943
• Mining operations continued to be adversely affected by labour shortages.
• Mine shops in Ontario’s Porcupine and Kirkland Lake gold camps participated in the Wartime Mine Shop
Association since the beginning of the war. Mechanical superintendents of the mines cooperated in the con-
struction of steam generators, steering engines, pumps, etc., for merchant shipping.
• The Naybob, Moneta, Yama, Young-Davidson, Wendigo, Regenery, Uchi, Magnet and Jerome mines closed,
and a fire destroyed the Hoyle mine’s mill in Ontario.
• The Gold Belt mine in British Columbia suspended operations.
• Operations were also suspended at the Con, Rycon and Thompson-Lundmark mines in the Northwest
Territories and at the Avon mine in Nova Scotia
1944
• The amount of gold deposited at the Mint continued to decrease with receipts being the lowest since 1933.
• The price of gold shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange jumped sharply with the Allied invasion of Normandy
in June, similar to what had occurred with the invasion of North Africa in 1942. June’s average monthly
price, the highest the Exchange’s index had seen since 1937, was $127.64, which contrasted with a low during
the war years of $53.15, the month before the landing in North Africa. The Exchange listed 44 new gold com-
panies during 1944 and the first half of 1945, mostly in the Yellowknife area.
• In Quebec, the Powell Rouyn mill was damaged by a tornado and the Francoeur and Beattie mines suspended
milling to concentrate available labour on mining.
• An acute labour shortage forced the suspension of mining and milling at the McMaramac mine and the
closure of Hard Rock Gold Mines’ mill in Ontario. |
