Burwash Mine
Encyclopedia
The Burwash Mine was a small gold
property discovered in the fall of 1934 by Johnny Baker and Hugh Muir at Yellowknife Bay, Northwest Territories
. The town of Yellowknife
did not exist yet at that point, but the discovery of gold at Burwash was the catalyst that brought more gold prospectors into the region in 1935 and 1936. A short shaft
was sunk in 1935-1936 at Burwash, and in the summer of 1935 a 16-ton bulk sample of ore was shipped to Trail, British Columbia
for processing, yielding 200 troy ounces (6 kg) of gold. The mine did not become a substantial producer and it is believed the gold vein was mined out.
The Burwash Mine has some historical significance in that the original ore sample kept "gold fever" alive in the area and helped in the establishment of Yellowknife as a viable northern community.
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
property discovered in the fall of 1934 by Johnny Baker and Hugh Muir at Yellowknife Bay, Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
. The town of Yellowknife
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Yellowknife is the capital and largest city of the Northwest Territories , Canada. It is located on the northern shore of Great Slave Lake, approximately south of the Arctic Circle, on the west side of Yellowknife Bay near the outlet of the Yellowknife River...
did not exist yet at that point, but the discovery of gold at Burwash was the catalyst that brought more gold prospectors into the region in 1935 and 1936. A short shaft
Shaft mining
Shaft mining or shaft sinking refers to the method of excavating a vertical or near-vertical tunnel from the top down, where there is initially no access to the bottom....
was sunk in 1935-1936 at Burwash, and in the summer of 1935 a 16-ton bulk sample of ore was shipped to Trail, British Columbia
Trail, British Columbia
Trail is a city in the West Kootenay region of the Interior of British Columbia, Canada.-Geography:Trail has an area of . The city is located on both banks of the Columbia River, approximately 10 km north of the United States border. This section of the Columbia River valley is located between the...
for processing, yielding 200 troy ounces (6 kg) of gold. The mine did not become a substantial producer and it is believed the gold vein was mined out.
The Burwash Mine has some historical significance in that the original ore sample kept "gold fever" alive in the area and helped in the establishment of Yellowknife as a viable northern community.