Kanuchuan Power Development

Overview

This article covers the history of Kanuchuan Power Development and God’s Lake Gold Mine in Manitoba.

Gold Mine

In 1932 Robert Jowsey, and his associates, discovered gold on a small island situated north of the western tip of Elk Island in Gods Lake (Dept. of Mines and Natural Resources 5th Annual Report on Mines and Minerals, 1933 04-30). Note that an apostrophe is not used in the names of the lake or community. God’s Lake Gold Mines Limited was incorporated on June 19, 1933. Officers and directors of the company were: R.J. Jowsey, Toronto, president: H. R. Drummond-Hay, vice-president; R.E. Forde, treasurer; Fred Larn, secretary; and A.J. Milligan. The head office of the company was at 395 Main Street in Winnipeg (Dept. of Mines and Natural Resources 6th Annual Report on Mines and Minerals, 1934 04-30).

The company carried out a diamond drilling programs on Elk and Jowsey islands in 1933; and the results of this work, on the former, justified underground exploration. Therefore, the company ordered Tomlinson Construction Company Limited to deliver a mining and sinking plant by a 132 mile winter road from Ilford at Mile 286 on the Hudson Bay Railway to Gods Lake. In all 1,262 tons of freight were hauled to the property by April 10, 1933 (Dept. of Mines and Natural Resources 6th Annual Report on Mines and Minerals, 1934 04-30). The plan was to sink a shaft to a depth of 500 feet with 6,000 feet of underground work on three levels.

Power Development for Mine

To provide electrical power to the potential mine, a survey of suitable power sites was made by Mr. W.G. Chace of Toronto, which indicated that abundant economical water power was available (God’s Lake Gold Mines (GLGM), 1st Annual Report, 1933-12-31). Of all the sites, the Kanuachuan Rapids site on the Island Lake River (draining Beaver Hill Lake) was chosen as being the most suitable, and a tentative application for power rights was made to the Manitoba Government.

Work on the 1,900 hp Kanuchuan power house (UTM NAD 83 15U, 380238E, 6025174N) was started in the fall of 1934. The base of the plant was situated on Precambrian bedrock comprised of Oxford Group greywacke with arkose, quartzite and slaty metasedimentary rocks (Wright et al. 1961, Preliminary Map 21-1961). A survey of the transmission line was made and clearings were made at intervals along the right-of-way (Figure 1). Fuel power costs were calculated at $275 per horsepower per year due to the scarcity and poor quality of wood (Dept. of Mines and Natural Resources 7th Annual Report on Mines and Minerals, 1935 04-30). Total cost of the work to the end of 1934 was $95,532.17. All of the construction material and machinery for the mill and power development, as well as a year’s supplies for the whole operation were transported by GLGM on the “shortened” 125-mile winter road (GLGM, 2nd Annual Report, 1934-12-31).

In the first 3 months of 1935, a total of 4713 tons of machinery, building materials and supplies were hauled over the winter road with 1600 tons going to Kanuchuan and the remainder to the mine. The haul amounted to a total of approximately 668,600 ton miles at an overall cost of 22.85 cents per ton mile, exclusive of depreciation. Construction on the Kanuchuan power development, started in 1934, continued without stop during the first 8 months of 1935. Electric power was delivered to the mine site over the 40 mile transmission line on September 7, 1935. The mining plant was converted from steam to electric drive; and the mill machinery was run in with production initiated on September 10th. The Kanuchuan power unit operated very satisfactorily under loads ranging from a small fraction of capacity up to its full rated capacity (Dept. of Mines and Natural Resources 8th Annual Report on Mines and Minerals, 1936 04-30). The hydro installation produced more power than the mine required; and the surplus power was used at the mine for heating purposes until, hopefully, other operations in the area would purchase the excess. In addition, space was set aside in the hydro station for two additional generating units (3,800 hp), if required in the future. The cost of the Kanuchuan Rapids power development increased to $637,364.06 (GLGM, 3rd Annual Report, 1935-12-31); and to $679,664.26, a year later (GLGM, 4th Annual Report, 1936-12-31).

In 1937, an auxiliary sluice-way was constructed around the dam to protect the power plant against excessive heads due to record high water, at a cost of $18,000 (GLGM, 5th Annual Report, 1937-12-31). In 1939 a second shaft (No. 2) at the mine was put down at a cost of $2,799.48, including the cost of the extension to the transmission line from Kanuchuan (GLGM, 7th Annual Report, 1939-12-31). In September 1940, automatic equipment was installed in the power plant at Kanuchuan, which increased its total cost to $695,504.85 (GLGM, 8th Annual Report, 1940-12-31). In May 1941, the No. 2 shaft was completed to a depth of 1,887 feet with pumping stations excavated at the 600, 1,200 and 1,800-foot levels (GLGM, 9th Annual Report, 1941-12-31). God’s Lake Gold Mines ceased operations in September, 1943: due to a lack of essential labour during the Second World War; the lack of ore, work in the area of the No. 2 shaft; and depletion of ore in the No. 1 shaft area as of August 26, 1943. During the life of the mine, from September 1935 to September 1943, a total of 524,000 tons of ore were produced from which gold worth $5,925,844 was recovered. One caretaker was left at the mine and another, at the power house, 40 miles away (GLGM, 11th Annual Report, 1943-12-31; Wright et al. 1961, Preliminary Map 21-1961).

As of February 20, 1946, the 2,000 hp hydro electric plant at Kanuchuan was maintained in first class condition with an experienced engineer in charge. The value of the power development was reduced to $20,831.89 due to depreciation (GLGM, 13th Annual Report, 1945-12-31). In an unsuccessful attempt to find another mine in the area, God’s Lake Gold Mines spent $67,500.00 on prospecting and diamond drilling (GLGM, 15th Annual Report, 1947-12-31). As a consequence, the company transferred title to its assets to Lake Lingman Gold Mining Company Limited on October 25, 1948. Shut down expenses at God’s Lake and at the Kanauchuan power site were $15,470.51 (GLGM, 16th Annual Report, 1948-12-31).

Total amount spent by God’s Lake Gold Mines Limited at its mine site for buildings and machinery amounted to $675,852.95. The total amount spent by the company at its Kanuchuan Rapids power development for buildings and development amounted to $695,768.33 (GLGM, 15th Annual Report, 1947-12-31). In addition, $15,470.51 was spent for shut-down expenses at both sites (GLGM, 16th Annual Report, 1948-12-31). Also, the company had spent an additional $67, 500.00 for exploration to find another mine to replace the one at Gods Lake, which would have utilized the power from Kanuchuan, The grand total spent by God’s Lake Gold Mines Limited in the Gods Lake area from 1935 to 1948 was $1,454,591.79, which was almost 1/4 the value of gold ($5,925,844 @ US$35/oz.) recovered by the company (charter cancelled on March 21, 1956).

References

God’s Lake Gold Mines Limited, 1st to 16th Annual Reports, 1933-12-31 to 1948-12-31. Wright, J.F., Quinn, H.A. and Currie, K.L. 1961: Geology of Oxford House area; Geological Survey of Canada, Preliminary Map 21-1961, scale 1:253_440.