Dickenson Mines
1948 to 2006
Produced 5,962,948 oz.
Produced 5,962,948 oz.

Digging up Dickenson
Major Cunningham-Dunlop staked the 16 claims that made up the core of Dickenson Mines in 1926. Cunningham-Dunlop hired prospector George Shearne to survey the claims. However, after Cunningham-Dunlop’s death in 1930, the claims lapsed. Unable to garner financial support sooner, it was not until January 1944 that Shearne was able to re-stake the claims on the shores of Balmer Lake.
News of the claims reached Toronto-based mine promoter Irvin J. Isbell in early 1944. Isbell optioned 50% of the claims himself and optioned the other 50% to John G. Dickenson. Unfortunately, the pair did not have enough capital to finance exploration.
Since the claims were so close to Campbell Red Lake Mines (Campbell Mines), the claims soon caught the attention of Arthur W. White (Canadian Mining Hall of Fame, 1992) and Jack Brewis. Brewis and White’s financial investment firm, Brewis & White had invested in Campbell Mines during the summer of 1944. However, the Dickenson Mines claims appeared to hold more promise for the company. In late 1944, Brewis & White sold their interest in Campbell Mines, putting the profits into developing the Dickenson Mines claims. Dickenson Mines incorporated as Dickenson Red Lake Mines in November 1944.
With the financial might of Brewis & White, exploration and development on the site began in early 1945. Previous work on the claims was limited to trenching, but under the direction of manager Fraser Fell, the mine logged 13,560 metres (44,488 feet) of diamond drilling in 1945. The mine began sinking their shaft (No. 1) in 1946, completing it in 1947 to a depth of 165.5 metres (543 feet). The mine purchased a surface plant and mill from Gold Eagle Mines in 1948. The buildings were transported from McKenzie Island before breakup in early 1948 and installed at the Dickenson Mines site throughout the summer months.
The Producing Years: 1948-2006 *
Dickenson Mines went into production in December 1948, pouring its brick on January 21, 1949. The former Gold Eagle Mines mill could only process 150 tonnes a day, but the capacity was soon increased to meet the demands of Dickenson Mines. The mine started paying its shareholders dividends in 1953, four years after it went into production. Although people have questioned Brewis and White’s decision to choose Dickenson Mines over Campbell Mines, Dickenson Mines went on to be one of the district’s biggest and longstanding producers.
After looking for someone to run the company for two years, Brewis and White transitioned from investing in mining companies to running one. Under the direction of White, Dickenson Mines increased the company’s holdings, integrating Detta Red Lake Gold Mines (1953) and Robin Red Lake Mines (1972) into the mine. Before 1972, Robin Red Lake Mines operated as a subsidiary of Dickenson Mines. During White’s tenure at the mine, over 15 other mining companies were part of the Dickenson Group or sponsored by Brewis & White. These included Parvus Mines, Abino Gold Mines, Clicker Red Lake Mines, Redcon Gold Mines, Starratt Nickel Mines, and Kam-Kotia in Timmins, ON.
Dickenson Mines went through several name changes during the production period (see the list at the bottom of the page for dates). In 1949, after refinancing, the mine reorganized as New Dickenson Mines. In 1960, Dickenson Mines merged Lake Cinch Mines, becoming Dickenson Mines. The mine was renamed after longtime president Arthur W. White in 1988. In 1983, the non-producing Dickenson properties were combined into Goldquest Explorations. Goldcorp Investments (later Goldcorp Inc.) bought controlling interest of Dickenson Mines in 1989, renaming the mine the Red Lake Mine in 1991 and Red Lake Gold Mines in 2006.
Exploration and expansion were commonplace at Dickenson mines. Like Campbell Mines, the ore at Dickenson Mines was structurally complex. As a result, the mine was continuously drilling and extending the shaft attempting to keep track of the ore. By 1968, Dickenson Mines had logged over 12,500 metres (41,010 feet) of underground diamond drilling tracking the elusive gold. It was around this time that the mine added an internal shaft (No. 2) that connected to No.1 shaft via a winze. The total depth of the two shafts was 1,495.9 metres (4,807 feet). Exploration intensified in 1994, after Goldcorp’s CEO Robert McEwen (Canadian Mining Hall of Fame, 2017) increased the exploration budget to try to secure the future of the mine.
McEwen’s increased exploration budget paid off a year later when Dickenson Mines’ high-grade zone was discovered. Located between 30 and 57 levels, the high-grade zone was a 2.3-metre section that had an estimated 10.07 ounces of gold per tonne. This discovery breathed new life into the mine. However, the victory was short-lived. In June 1996 unionized workers began a labour strike that did not break until nearly four years later. Without the unionized workers, production ceased, and the mine went on care and maintenance. Goldcorp used the time to modernize the mine, increase their exploration and even launched the Goldcorp Challenge, a world-wide open source exploration challenge.
After the strike was over, the mine not only had global recognition but a strong plan for the future. The Goldcorp Challenge verified the Dickenson Mines geologists’ methodologies and pinpointed areas for targeted drilling. In 2003, a third shaft (known as No. 3 shaft) was sunk to develop the high-grade zone. In 2006, Goldcorp bought Campbell Mines from Barrick Gold Corp and combined Dickenson and Campbell Mines to form Red Lake Gold Mines.
Dickenson Mines produced 5,962,948 ounces of gold and over 187,000 ounces of silver from 1948 to 2006. The mine poured its three millionth ounce in 1993. All gold mined from Dickenson Mines after May 2006 is included in the production totals of Red Lake Gold Mines.
Building Balmertown
Wherever a mine arose, a community was never far behind. For Dickenson Mines, this started as a small community surrounding Balmer Lake (known as the Balmer Lake colony) that housed workers from both Dickenson and Campbell Mines. The two mines quickly outgrew the original settlement and began supporting the development of a new town. Balmertown is the only Red Lake community that was not formed surrounding a mine. A city planner was brought in to map out the town, with the mines bordering the community.
Dickenson Mines Names Changes
Major Cunningham-Dunlop staked the 16 claims that made up the core of Dickenson Mines in 1926. Cunningham-Dunlop hired prospector George Shearne to survey the claims. However, after Cunningham-Dunlop’s death in 1930, the claims lapsed. Unable to garner financial support sooner, it was not until January 1944 that Shearne was able to re-stake the claims on the shores of Balmer Lake.
News of the claims reached Toronto-based mine promoter Irvin J. Isbell in early 1944. Isbell optioned 50% of the claims himself and optioned the other 50% to John G. Dickenson. Unfortunately, the pair did not have enough capital to finance exploration.
Since the claims were so close to Campbell Red Lake Mines (Campbell Mines), the claims soon caught the attention of Arthur W. White (Canadian Mining Hall of Fame, 1992) and Jack Brewis. Brewis and White’s financial investment firm, Brewis & White had invested in Campbell Mines during the summer of 1944. However, the Dickenson Mines claims appeared to hold more promise for the company. In late 1944, Brewis & White sold their interest in Campbell Mines, putting the profits into developing the Dickenson Mines claims. Dickenson Mines incorporated as Dickenson Red Lake Mines in November 1944.
With the financial might of Brewis & White, exploration and development on the site began in early 1945. Previous work on the claims was limited to trenching, but under the direction of manager Fraser Fell, the mine logged 13,560 metres (44,488 feet) of diamond drilling in 1945. The mine began sinking their shaft (No. 1) in 1946, completing it in 1947 to a depth of 165.5 metres (543 feet). The mine purchased a surface plant and mill from Gold Eagle Mines in 1948. The buildings were transported from McKenzie Island before breakup in early 1948 and installed at the Dickenson Mines site throughout the summer months.
The Producing Years: 1948-2006 *
Dickenson Mines went into production in December 1948, pouring its brick on January 21, 1949. The former Gold Eagle Mines mill could only process 150 tonnes a day, but the capacity was soon increased to meet the demands of Dickenson Mines. The mine started paying its shareholders dividends in 1953, four years after it went into production. Although people have questioned Brewis and White’s decision to choose Dickenson Mines over Campbell Mines, Dickenson Mines went on to be one of the district’s biggest and longstanding producers.
After looking for someone to run the company for two years, Brewis and White transitioned from investing in mining companies to running one. Under the direction of White, Dickenson Mines increased the company’s holdings, integrating Detta Red Lake Gold Mines (1953) and Robin Red Lake Mines (1972) into the mine. Before 1972, Robin Red Lake Mines operated as a subsidiary of Dickenson Mines. During White’s tenure at the mine, over 15 other mining companies were part of the Dickenson Group or sponsored by Brewis & White. These included Parvus Mines, Abino Gold Mines, Clicker Red Lake Mines, Redcon Gold Mines, Starratt Nickel Mines, and Kam-Kotia in Timmins, ON.
Dickenson Mines went through several name changes during the production period (see the list at the bottom of the page for dates). In 1949, after refinancing, the mine reorganized as New Dickenson Mines. In 1960, Dickenson Mines merged Lake Cinch Mines, becoming Dickenson Mines. The mine was renamed after longtime president Arthur W. White in 1988. In 1983, the non-producing Dickenson properties were combined into Goldquest Explorations. Goldcorp Investments (later Goldcorp Inc.) bought controlling interest of Dickenson Mines in 1989, renaming the mine the Red Lake Mine in 1991 and Red Lake Gold Mines in 2006.
Exploration and expansion were commonplace at Dickenson mines. Like Campbell Mines, the ore at Dickenson Mines was structurally complex. As a result, the mine was continuously drilling and extending the shaft attempting to keep track of the ore. By 1968, Dickenson Mines had logged over 12,500 metres (41,010 feet) of underground diamond drilling tracking the elusive gold. It was around this time that the mine added an internal shaft (No. 2) that connected to No.1 shaft via a winze. The total depth of the two shafts was 1,495.9 metres (4,807 feet). Exploration intensified in 1994, after Goldcorp’s CEO Robert McEwen (Canadian Mining Hall of Fame, 2017) increased the exploration budget to try to secure the future of the mine.
McEwen’s increased exploration budget paid off a year later when Dickenson Mines’ high-grade zone was discovered. Located between 30 and 57 levels, the high-grade zone was a 2.3-metre section that had an estimated 10.07 ounces of gold per tonne. This discovery breathed new life into the mine. However, the victory was short-lived. In June 1996 unionized workers began a labour strike that did not break until nearly four years later. Without the unionized workers, production ceased, and the mine went on care and maintenance. Goldcorp used the time to modernize the mine, increase their exploration and even launched the Goldcorp Challenge, a world-wide open source exploration challenge.
After the strike was over, the mine not only had global recognition but a strong plan for the future. The Goldcorp Challenge verified the Dickenson Mines geologists’ methodologies and pinpointed areas for targeted drilling. In 2003, a third shaft (known as No. 3 shaft) was sunk to develop the high-grade zone. In 2006, Goldcorp bought Campbell Mines from Barrick Gold Corp and combined Dickenson and Campbell Mines to form Red Lake Gold Mines.
Dickenson Mines produced 5,962,948 ounces of gold and over 187,000 ounces of silver from 1948 to 2006. The mine poured its three millionth ounce in 1993. All gold mined from Dickenson Mines after May 2006 is included in the production totals of Red Lake Gold Mines.
Building Balmertown
Wherever a mine arose, a community was never far behind. For Dickenson Mines, this started as a small community surrounding Balmer Lake (known as the Balmer Lake colony) that housed workers from both Dickenson and Campbell Mines. The two mines quickly outgrew the original settlement and began supporting the development of a new town. Balmertown is the only Red Lake community that was not formed surrounding a mine. A city planner was brought in to map out the town, with the mines bordering the community.
Dickenson Mines Names Changes
- Dickenson Red Lake Mines (1944-1949)
- New Dickenson Mines (1949-1960)
- Dickenson Mines (1960-1988)
- Arthur W. White Mine (1988-1991)
- Red Lake Mine (1991-2006)
- Red Lake Gold Mines (2006-present)