-8 Mining Week, February 27,1991

Today’ S miner has traded in picks &
shovels for boardroom technology —

by Harriett Fjaagesund

With terms like exploration
development, capital costs,
_ socio-economic aspects, proven
ore, inferred reserves, and min-
eral reserve inventory, it is blar-
ingly evident that mining has
gone hi-tech. And as with any
business venture, very little can
be left to chance or mere spec-
ulation. Each potential mine site
requires years of careful study
before any actual mining begins.
Minne today is no fly-by-night

r ‘‘hit and miss’’ venture. It
can’t afford to be.

There has always been a cer-
tain romantic lure and a sense of
high adventure in seeking out
these “hidden reserves’ buried
in the earth’s crust. The search

throughout history for metals, .

precious stones and other miner-
als has determined much of the
world’s economic geography
and demography, and is at the
root of many of the great events
in history.

The Klondike gold rush of
1897 - 98 is a good example.
Men and women of almost every
nationality and from all walks of
life stormed to the gold fields by
the thousands, driven by the
promise of immeasurable
wealth. For two mad and frantic
years, these treasure seekers
built their crazy towns of tents
and log cabins, scraped the gold

valleys bare, and left behind a -

legacy of romance and adven-

ture that still persists today.

Today’s miner has traded in
his (or her) pick and shovel for
boardroom technology and a
wide array of mining commodi-
ties, And although the methods
may have changed, the incurable
lure of the search is still the
same.

A supplement to the Terrace Review

| Eskay Creek route
not fully explored —

by Harriett Fjaagesund

Terry Heinricks of the South
Unuk Gold Corporation in
Stewart, B.C. would like to see
further studies conducted on the
Eskay Creek access route (cur-
rently accessible by air only).
Heinricks, also an alderman in

‘this northern community, says

the Iskut Valley Road Study
does not appear to have examin-
ed all possible routes since there
is no mention of the route from
Stewart to the Granduc tunnel
and then down the South Unuk
River to the Unuk River.

The Iskut study details a route
from the main Unuk River to the
Iskut River, which would pass
through the Calpine area. But
Heinricks says there are many
advantages of a route starting
from Stewart a deep sea port,
barge loading facilities, paved
airport, scheduled freight ser-
vices, paved highway, and many
service and supply outlets loca-

ted in Stewart and/or accessible.

from Terrace on daily freight
services.

Heinricks explains that al-
though the 30-mile stretch of
road hasn’t been maintained for

several years (Westmin Mines
maintains the first 13 miles), it is

accessible to vehicles ranging ~

from compact cars to semitrail-

ers. The tunnel itself is large —

enough to accommodate large
vehicular traffic and was con-
structed to very high standards.

Although formal studies
would have to be undertaken,
Heinricks believes the Stew-
art/Unuk route would pose little
environmental threat. There ap-
pears to be minimal fish and
wildlife on the route. Another

aspect he points out is the fact

that the entire route is highly
mineralized, allowing for opera-
tions that cannot support air
transportation to be viable with
road access.

Heinricks adds that other fac-
tors to be considered with this

route would be increased tour-.

ism (already popular in this
area), availability of an airstrip
where the South Unuk and
Unuk Rivers meet (constructed
by Granduc Mines, and easily
reactivated), and the feasibility
of logging along the route which
is heavily treed.

Northwest District Highlights for 1990

Geddes Resources: Ltd. Spent $11
million on the Windy Craggy
copper deposit to complete a drill-
ing program, mine planning studies
and bulk sampling.

*At Midway  (silver-lead-zinc
deposit) Regional Resources Lid
extended the workings to the Dis-

covery zone and carried out an
underground drilling program.
*Cassiar Mining Corp. completed
the development of the McDame
asbestos orebody and started un-
derground mining.

*Drilling on the Tulsequah Chief
property resulted in a 50m inter-

section of “precious metal-rich
massive sulphides.

*A large drilling program was
completed on the copper-gold
Galore Creek deposit

«Cominco starled construction and
underground development at the
Snip gold deposit.

Serving Northwestern British Columbia

Experienced exploration suppliers

For: fast, economical service, call Jean or Lorna.
Phone 638-8354, fax 638-0898, radio SSB - XOD364

Sool

ere ee ee

se acerca pm canara a da Padi nm Eh Ha EF et

A geal etal ot aie ms
2 toe a a MRL HEE eR