Just off the trans-Canada highway, half way between Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie, near the highway to Marathon, Don Mckinnon, John Larche and David Bell discovered Ontario’s fourth largest mining camp, Hemlo, in 1981.
A fierce legal battle errupted over the ownership of one of three mines – the Williams – between Teck-backed junior miner Corona and Lac Minerals. In August 1989, the Supreme Court of Ontario awarded the property to Teck and Corona. Over the past 25 years the Hemlo camp has produced 21 million ounces of gold.
For a good historical overview of Ontario gold mining by Sudbury Star mining columnist Stan Sudol, please click here: Northern Ontario: A Golden Klondike – 192 million ounces of gold and counting
Historic Ontario Gold Mining Camps and Major Mines (Up to 2010 MNDMF Statistics)
Total Ontario historical production (Natural Resources Canada Statistic) – 192 million ounces of gold *
Porcupine Camp (Timmins) – 67 million ounces
Kirkland Lake Camp (includes Larder Lake, Matachewan, Matheson) – 42 million ounces
Red Lake Camp – 26 million ounces
Hemlo Camp – 21 million ounces
Beardmore-Geraldton Camp – 4.1 million ounces of gold
Wawa District – 2.6 million ounces
Pickle Crow Camp – 2.5 million ounces of gold
Mussellwhite Mine – 3.1 million ounces
Detour Mine – 1.8 million ounces
* This figure also includes by-product gold from base-metal mines as well as small deposits from eastern Ontario, Lake of the Woods and other regions.
MNDMF = Ontario Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry