Problems at Dome mine raise questions about Timmins’ future

A strike marked by violence at the Dome mine operated by Placer Dome (TSE) has put a spotlight on a question few want discussed: Is this mining city of 47,000 facing an economic disaster? A Dome security officer was hurt by a rock thrown through the window of his truck, four strikers were charged with obstructing police and causing a disturbance and a striker was hospitalized after allegedly being run down by a contractor working for Dome on its nearby Paymaster reclamation project.

The violence has distracted from the issue of how long Dome will operate but in mining circles that question outranks the strike.

In those circles, the revelation that Dome might cease to be a viable operation has merely strengthened fears that Timmins could go the way of two other mining communities in northern Ontario; Kirkland Lake, down from 19,000 to 11,000 residents and Elliot Lake, facing the loss of 2,100 mining jobs in a community of 17,000 people, down from 25,000 in 1982.

In a report submitted to Timmins council in February, 1989, the local branch of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada said: “Today, there are only seven mines left operating in or near Timmins and the life expectancy of these operations is limited.

“A recent survey indicates that within 15 years every mine in Timmins will be closed and these closures will start as early as three years from now.

“The discovery of new mineral deposits and their development to new mines takes an average of 10 years in Canada.

“Thus the exploration crews working in the Timmins area have only five years to make discoveries which will replace the depleting resources.”

Officials from Falconbridge Ltd.’s Kidd Creek mine met with city council recently to present some stunning facts. The zinc-silver-lead- copper orebody, one of the biggest mines in the country and a mainstay of Timmins’ economy, wasn’t going to last the projected 15 years but just 10 at present production levels.

At a closed session, the council was told the company was trying to find a new orebody but had failed to date. It is openly seeking feed for its huge smelter.

Some other local mining operations are winding down as well.

Falconbridge Gold (TSE), created by Falconbridge to operate its two gold mines on the Kidd Creek property, reported that the Owl Creek mine ceased open pit mining in 1989 and an underground operation is not viable.

The Hoyle Pond mine has “three to four years” of ore left officially although officials say its reserve position is much better than that.

Pamour, now part of Giant Yellowknife Mines (TSE), has closed three of its five operations in Timmins. Giant is for sale after losing $189,000 in 1989 and $30.4 million in 1988.