Heath Steele Mines

Heath Steele Mine

Ore processing facility at Heath Steele Mines (BR Walker 1993)
Location
Heath Steele Mine Location in New Brunswick
Location	Northumberland County
Province	New Brunswick
Country	Canada
Coordinates	47°17′00″N66°04′00″W
Production
Products	Copper,Lead,Zinc
History
Discovered	1953
Opened	1957
Closed	1999
Owner
Company	Noranda
Year of acquisition	1979

Heath Steele Mines,situated 60 km (37 mi) northwest ofNewcastle, New Brunswick,Canada,at the headwaters of theTomogonopsandLittle Rivers,was a large and productive copper, lead, and zinc mine which operated from 1956 to 1999. The mine was an economic cornerstone ofMiramichicommunities throughout this period.

The mine was initially developed as a collaboration between theAmerican Metal Company(later Amax) andInco(International Nickel Company) and consequently was also known as the Little River Joint Venture.

The mine was named after Mr. Heath Steele, the Vice-President of Exploration of the American Metal Company. It seems that Mr. Steele had little directly to do with the mine, but the parent company probably bestowed the name as an honour on his retirement from the company.

Nosmelterwas included in the facility. Theoreconcentrates were instead hauled by rail to varioussmelteroperations (for example atBelledune) for further processing, or to the ports atNewcastleandDalhousie, New Brunswickwhere the concentrates could be shipped to customers overseas (e.g., Spain, Finland).

History

The firstorebodyat the Heath Steele site, Heath Steele A Zone, was discovered in 1953by prospectors working forMatthew James Boylen.Mr. Boylen brought more mines into production than anyone else inCanadian historyand was inducted into theCanadian Mining Hall of Fame.This was the first discovery in Canada of an ore body by means of an airborne electromagnetic survey (AEM).

American Metals had financed Mr. Boylen's exploration, and as a result of a 1953 agreement with Inco, acquired a 75% ownership of the new mine. Initial exploratory drilling estimated the reserves as including 4,200,000 tonnes (4,100,000 long tons; 4,600,000 short tons) (2.9% Lead, 7.1% Zinc, 1.1% Copper, 3.20 ounces/ton Silver, and 0.02 ounces/ton Gold) and 300,000 tonnes (300,000 long tons; 330,000 short tons) (1.2% Lead, 3.5% Zinc, 1.3% Copper, 1.90 ounces/ton Silver, and 0.02 ounces/ton Gold).

By 1957, a mine and milling operation was established to extract copper, lead, and zinc from the ore; it was served by a 30 km (19 mi) railway line from theCN Railmain line atBartibog Station.Due to low metal prices and metallurgical issues, the mining operation was suspended in April 1958. Mining resumed in June 1962. In 1969 the mine started an ambitious expansion, and by 1979 was producing over 185,000 tonnes (182,000 long tons; 204,000 short tons) of mineral concentrates per year.

As the ore body was gradually depleted operations were increasingly dependent on strong metal prices. In 1979,Norandapurchased American Metals 75% share in the operation. Metal prices declined, forcing the mine to suspend operations in April 1983. In 1986, Noranda purchased all of the remaining interest in the mine. The mine reopened in 1989, closed in 1991, and re-opened in 1992. Mining was again suspended in July 1993, resuming in November 1994. As of 1994, reserves stood at 360,000 tonnes (350,000 long tons; 400,000 short tons) (7.1% zinc, 2.0% lead, 0.9% copper, and 73 g/t silver). The underground mine was finally closed and allowed to flood in 1999.

Over the years, concerns were often vented concerning the potentialenvironmental impactof this mining operation, and more specificallyheavy metalpollution andacid mine drainage,on the Tomogonops andMiramichi Riversystems. Fish kills in these rivers were occasionally (e.g., 1960 and 1991) attributed to the company.

Geology

The Heath Steele deposits arevolcanogenic massive sulfide ore depositsrich in copper, lead, and zinc.