Letters to the Editor Busy at Red Lake

As a long-time resident of Red Lake, I saw large scale exploration carried out in 1945-49 when over 100 properties were being worked, with two prolific gold mines found — Campbell and Dickenson. These have contributed enormously to local and federal wealth. Extensive coverage was given by your paper in those early years but I must say that is not the case now.

There is a great deal of activity in this general area at the present time which I believe would be of interest to your readers, with follow-up reporting on a regular basis. The following exploration work is either under way or planned by the various companies involved which are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars:

Drilling — old Orlac property Dome Twp. — 2 machines — Interquest(?);

Drilling — old Howey property Dome Twp. — Noramco;

Drilling — old Bouzan property Heyson Twp. — Noramco;

Drilling — Keg Lake property Byshe Twp. — Noramco;

Drilling — old West Red Lake property — Shane Res;

Drilling — old Skookum property Dome Twp. — Chevron;

Drilling — Birch Lake-Golden Terrace;

Drilling — Birch Lake-St. Joe/ Gabbs Resources;

Drilling — McKenzie Island — Vanwin Resources;

Drilling — Cochenour property — Inco Gold;

Drilling — old Dunkin property Skinner Twp. — Golden Hat Res.;

Drilling — Bateman Twp. — Penway Explorers;

Drilling — Hasaga property — Lac Minerals;

Geophysical survey — Balmer Twp. –Golden Arrow Res.;

Geophysical survey — Heyson Twp. — Penway Explorers;

Geophysical survey — Heyson Twp. — Wheelwright Expl.;

Geophysical, drill — Dome Twp. — Gunnar/Aupan R.L.;

Geophysical survey — old McKenzie, Gold Eagle mines;

Geophysical survey — Dorion Island;

Underground development — McFinley R. L.;

Underground development — Pipestone Bay — Mount Jamie Mines;

Unwatering old Buffalo mine — Heyson Twp.

The above certainly is not all that is going on in this area, but does indicate that the best place to look for new mines is in areas where previous ones have been found. Two new mines in the Pickle Lake area — Pickle Crow and Doran Lake — as well as the St. Joe Gold deposit at Dobie Lake are cases in point.

Although we still have a number of good old-time prospectors active in this area — Andy Hagar, Bert Crawford, Jack Green, Gerry Desmules, Kostynuk brothers, Charlie Peterson, Wayne Hermiston, etc. — the old breed is dying off and I see very few, if any, taking their place for reasons of lack of knowledge or of incentives. I consider this a serious situation and one that should be addressed, with perhaps a school here to teach the skills of staking and prospecting. Surveying and assaying should also be taught. There is a program being conducted at the Abino mine to train miners, which will be of benefit to the producing mines.

It is my understanding that a committee is being formed to establish a Mining Hall of Fame to honor major contributors to the mining industry. I certainly feel that Red Lake deserves consideration and urge interested parties to send their views to The Northern Miner. Carl D. Huston, P. Eng. C. D. Huston & Sons Ltd. Red Lake, Ont.