The Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre

Gold Mines - Old and New

In the early 40s, the Red Lake District suffered a series of blows that nearly turned it into a ghost town. First, gold ran out at the McMarmac and Gold Eagle Mines, and both operations shut down. Next a shaft pillar collapsed at the Howey Mine in Red Lake, and the ground caved in. The mine closed down for good, leaving hundreds of people unemployed. Businesses went bankrupt, and many people left the area. A few years later, however, Red Lake's good luck returned. First the Dickenson Mine was discovered, then George Campbell and his guide, Jacob Hager, found the mother lode next door. By 1949, both the Dickenson and Campbell Mines were in full production, and Balmertown was booming.

A Gold Mine is Where You Find It!

Major Cunningham-Dunlop staked the original Campbell property during the Red Lake Gold Rush of 1926, but he couldn't get the financial backing to develop it into a mine, so he let the claims expire. When George Campbell made a major discovery on the same grounds seventeen years later, he approached Brewis and White, Toronto stockbrokers and mining promoters. The firm invested $10,000 in the property, and development got underway.

Red Lake mining pioneer, Charlie Peterson, at the pouring of Campbell Mine's 10 millionth ounce of gold, April 2

Dome Exploration soon became interested in the property as well, and eventually came to control the majority of the shares, reaping the profits of an operation that soon grew into the richest gold mine in the western world. Campbell Mine, which is now owned by Placer Dome Inc., recently celebrated its 50th anniversary of continuous production. With some 400 full-time and contract employees, Campbell Mine is now one of the largest employers in the area.

The Dickenson Mine, now the Goldcorp Red Lake Mine, shares much of the same history as its neighbour, also being staked by Major Cunningham-Dunlop, and financed by Brewis and White. Arthur White is remembered as saying, "I hope one day to have a little mining empire here. Dickenson is at the top of our list".

In 1995, Goldcorp announced the discovery of a new high-grade gold zone at the lowest levels of the mine. This discovery occurred 48 years after the mine began production, at a time when the mine had a questionable future due to declining reserves and increasing production costs.

One of the first underground crews at Dickenson Mine, 1948.
Find out about Goldcorp Inc. at: www.goldcorp.com

Buckets of gold from the Campbell Mine in Balmertown. Visit Campbell Mine on-line at: www.placerdome.com

Following this spectacular discovery, which proved to be one of the highest-grade gold deposits in the world, Goldcorp rebuilt the mine, and modernized its operation. In 2001, the Red Lake Mine produced over 500,000 oz, which was the best year for any mine in the area and made it Canada’s largest gold producer. Goldcorp continues to pursue an aggressive exploration program at the minesite and in the Red Lake area. The discovery has created renewed interest in gold exploration throughout the Red Lake mining camp.

Both mines have made major contributions towards the growth of the area. The development of recreational facilities, such as the Campbell Recreation Centre, the Red Lake District Golf and Country Club, and local beaches were all initiated by the two mines. The companies continue to invest in the community by generously supporting non-profit organizations such as sports groups, health and education services, and arts and heritage organizations.

Red Lake Area Inspires World Renowned Female Geologist

By all accounts, 1939 was one of the most memorable years in Red Lake. With six mines in operation, the area was booming and spirits were high, but the threat of World War II loomed on the horizon. By the fall local sports teams had disbanded as young men enrolled in the service.
Nineteen thirty-nine was also the year when, Diane Loranger (right), Red Lake's first high school graduate, enrolled in the Geology Department at the University of Manitoba. Following graduation in 1943 she went to work for Imperial Oil, and by 1947 had risen to a senior supervisory position with the company. As the first woman to work as a geologist in the oil industry, she contiually had to prove her strength, endurance and knowledge to her male colleagues. Before long she was pioneering new techiques in locating oil deposits, and her expertise in geology and paleontology was in demand around the world.
Athletic, independent and adventurous, she played many sports, flew her own plane to various job sites and fixed her own cars. The first Red Lake-raised woman to earn a Ph.D., she also published numerous papers, and lectured in cities across North America and Europe.

Diane Loranger
First female geologist

Shannon Franczak:
First Red Lake raised female to obtain a degree in mining engineering

Loranger credits her resourcefulness and knowledge to her upbringing in Red Lake, where, surrounded by nature, she developed a passion for geology and the environment.

Today, many women work in the local gold mines, and Red Lake's rich mineral deposits continue to inspire young women to pursue careers in the mining industry. Just recently, Shannon Franczak (above), had the distinction of being the first Red Lake-raised woman to obtain a degree in Mining Engineering. Adventurous and ambitious, she plans to explore new frontiers and share what she learned growing up next to one of North America's richest gold camps.

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