EXPLORATION ’93 — Cobalt testing laboratory runs out of

During the past five years, the Temiskaming Testing Laboratory (TTL) in Cobalt has struggled without success to find a new role for itself and, as of Sept. 1 of this year, will be placed on a care-and-maintenance basis (T.N.M., Mar. 1/93) by the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines.

The effects of low precious metal prices drastically cut into the lab’s workload. Eventually, in 1990, the TTL was pushed completely out of its original business as a supplier of bulk sampling and assaying services to northeastern Ontario’s mining industry.

Its last load of crude ore was a shipment of gold ore processed in September, 1990. The last silver processed at the facility went through the mill in July, 1990.

Today, the last silver mines in once-booming Cobalt have closed and gold prices have dropped to the point where producers find it too expensive to use the lab facility.

TTL managers and other ministry staff members report having explored other business activities that might make the laboratory viable. They have processed precious metal slags, reverts and speiss from smelters, Royal Mint salts, zinc oxide material, automotive catalytic converters and gold-silver scrape in an effort to recover gold, silver and platinum group metals. None of these efforts produced lasting business at a level that would sustain the laboratory. Customers for the service continued to decline and, last fall, TTL lost its remaining major client.

In its day, TTL offered its customers high-quality service.

Featuring sample handling of various tonnages, a dry milling process, metallics recovery and the only automatic sampling machine of its design in North America, the TTL was a unique laboratory that performed impartial sampling and assaying.

Historically, it served Cobalt-area silver producers. After the discovery of silver, many small operators had no refining, smelting or even milling facilities and relied exclusively on major mining companies for these services. Shippers of ore had no method of ensuring quality, representative sampling and accurate assaying of their production.

In 1909, two engineers named Campbell and Deyell designed a method of sampling ores and concentrates. Their testing operation was successful until 1917, when falling silver prices slowed the flow of feed and made the enterprise uneconomical.

There were many operators left in the area who still needed the service. As a consequence, the mining industry asked the provincial government to operate the plant.

The government assumed control through its Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway in 1919. Two years later, the laboratory was transferred to the Ontario Department of Mines and it maintained an excellent reputation for its bulk sampling and processing of ores, particularly silver ores. Other services provided by the facility included custom crushing, bullion processing, laboratory work and umpire sampling/assaying duties for companies, refineries and precious metal dealers.

The original TTL building was destroyed by a fire in 1941. It was re-established in the quarters it occupies today on Presley St. in Cobalt. John Gammon, assistant deputy minister responsible for the mines and minerals division, said demand for the lab’s service has dropped off to the point where it is no longer useful to the northeastern Ontario mining industry. “In these times of severe financial constraint, the ministry cannot afford to retain an aging facility that has ceased to fulfill its main purpose,” he said.

To assist the town, the ministry is donating 1,500 oz. silver from TTL to the Cobalt museum. It is suggested that the museum may be able to use the silver to produce commemorative medallions.

Gammon said the mines and minerals division is pursuing geoscience and mineral exploration projects that could eventually result in new mining activity in the area.