McMarmac Red Lake Gold Mines
1940 to 1948
Produced 45,246 oz. gold; 1,539 oz. silver
Produced 45,246 oz. gold; 1,539 oz. silver
McMarmac Red Lake Gold Mines (McMarmac Mines) consisted of six mining claims acquired from other mining companies. Five of the claims were staked in 1926 and optioned to the Nortricia Mining Company and Red Mammoth Gold before Margaret Red Lake Mines took over the claims in 1933. Richmac Gold Mines owned the sixth McMarmac Mines claim. McMarmac Mines was incorporated in July 1939 to take over the claims.
By the time McMarmac Mines acquired the property there was over ten years of development and exploration put into the site. Margaret Red Lake Mines began sinking a shaft in 1937, and McKenzie Red Lake Gold Mines extended the shaft to a depth of 94.5 metres (310 feet) in 1939. As a result, McMarmac Mines was able to start producing in just over a year. The McMarmac Mines mill went into production on October 18, 1940. Due to labour shortages caused by the Second World War, McMarmac Mines suspended work in 1944. The mine resumed work in 1947, but ultimately closed its doors in 1948. After the mine closed, McMarmac, the town that arose around the mine slowly lost its residents as they relocated to Cochenour.
While no longer a producing mine, the McMarmac Mines property has continued to be a site of interest for exploration and mining companies. Boyman Gold Mines (a McMarmac Mines subsidiary – later Barboy Mines) took over the property in 1948, and they worked the claims until the 1960’s. From 1984-1988 Goldquest Exploration performed mapping on the site. In 1989, Chevron Minerals optioned the claims and completed some diamond drilling. Goldcorp was the last company to look at the former producing mine site – from 2001 to 2011 they performed exploration and diamond drilling.
By the time McMarmac Mines acquired the property there was over ten years of development and exploration put into the site. Margaret Red Lake Mines began sinking a shaft in 1937, and McKenzie Red Lake Gold Mines extended the shaft to a depth of 94.5 metres (310 feet) in 1939. As a result, McMarmac Mines was able to start producing in just over a year. The McMarmac Mines mill went into production on October 18, 1940. Due to labour shortages caused by the Second World War, McMarmac Mines suspended work in 1944. The mine resumed work in 1947, but ultimately closed its doors in 1948. After the mine closed, McMarmac, the town that arose around the mine slowly lost its residents as they relocated to Cochenour.
While no longer a producing mine, the McMarmac Mines property has continued to be a site of interest for exploration and mining companies. Boyman Gold Mines (a McMarmac Mines subsidiary – later Barboy Mines) took over the property in 1948, and they worked the claims until the 1960’s. From 1984-1988 Goldquest Exploration performed mapping on the site. In 1989, Chevron Minerals optioned the claims and completed some diamond drilling. Goldcorp was the last company to look at the former producing mine site – from 2001 to 2011 they performed exploration and diamond drilling.
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