Greyhawk Mine

Greyhawk Mine is a decommissioned underground uranium mine located in Faraday Township near Bancroft, Ontario. It operated from 1954 to 1959 and from 1976 to 1982. The mine produced 80,247 tons of uranium ore, of which 0.069% was U3O8 worth $834,899.

Greyhawk Mine
Mine headframe, 1956
Location
Greyhawk Mine is located in Hastings County
Greyhawk Mine
Greyhawk Mine
Location in Faraday, Ontario
Greyhawk Mine is located in Southern Ontario
Greyhawk Mine
Greyhawk Mine
Greyhawk Mine (Southern Ontario)
Greyhawk Mine is located in Ontario
Greyhawk Mine
Greyhawk Mine
Greyhawk Mine (Ontario)
LocationFaraday, Ontario
ProvinceOntario
CountryCanada
Coordinates45°1′54″N 77°53′44″W
Production
ProductsUranium oxide
Production80,247 tonnes
History
Opened1957–1959, 1976–1982
Closed1982
Owner
CompanyOvintiv

Aside from uranium, the mine has produced some of the world's best samples of Kainosite-(Y).

Uranium discovery - 1922 to 1954

Uranium was first discovered in the nearby area of Cardiff in 1922 by W. M. Richardson. Between 1953 and 1956, one hundred area prospects were opened, including one by one which developed into Greyhawk Mine.[1]

Mine operations - 1954 to 1982

In 1954, Goldhawk Porcupine Mines Limited (who later became Goldhawk Uranium Mines Limited) undertook geology surveys, drilling to 450 feet deep.[2] During 1955 and 1956 Greyhawk Uranium Mines Limited sunk a vertical shaft to 361 feet creating three levels at depths of 110 feet, 211 feet, and 333 feet. They then drilled 114 holes (totalling 42,299 feet of drilling).[2]

By late 1956, there were 430 feet of underground cross-cuts, 1,606 feet of drifting, and 512 feet of raising, all at the first level. Underground drilling totalled 10,542 feet over 76 holes.[2] In 1958, the shaft was lowered further, to a new depth of 402 feet, from where lower levels were established.[2]

The ore was processed at the nearby Faraday mill on the Faraday Mine site.[2][3]

Mining operations stopped in 1959.[1][3]

Faraday Uranium Mines Limited purchased the site from Goldhawk Uranium Mines Limited in 1962.[2][3] Madawaska Mines Limited was formed in 1975 and purchased the site, as well as the nearby Faraday Mine, restarting mining operations in 1976 until 1982.[2][4]

Production

Over its two periods of operations, the mine produced 80,247 tons of uranium ore, of which 0.069% was U3O8[2] worth $834,899.[3]

In addition to uranium, the mine produced some of the world's best samples of Kainosite-(Y).[5]

Incidents
  • Rosaire Adrienne Lamirande, a 36 year old machine operator, was killed by falling rock in 1958.[6]

Post mining

1978 and 1980 studies found that the natural weathering of the granite and gabbro rocks left on site has caused uranium leaching into the aquifer at concentrations ranging between 1.2 and 380 parts per billion, with higher concentrations measured deeper in the water table and in sediments.[7][8]

200,000 tons of ore, averaging 0.065% U3O8, remain in the ground.[2]

As processing was done offsite, there are no tailings on site, therefore unlike the other nearby former uranium mines (Faraday/Madawaka Mine, Bicroft Mine, and Dyno Mine), the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission does not regulate the site.[4][9]

The mine was owned by Ovintiv subsidiary EWL Management Limited,[10] which merged into Ovintiv in February 2022.[11]

See also

References
  1. Reynolds, Nila (1979). Bancroft. A Bonanza of Memories. Bancroft Centennial Committee. p. 192.
  2. "Mineral Deposit Inventory Record MDI31F04SW00036: Greyhawk Mine, Greyhawk". www.geologyontario.mndm.gov.on.ca. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  3. "Greyhawk Mine, Faraday Township, Hastings County, Ontario, Canada". www.mindat.org. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  4. "Radioactive and toxic wastes from the Bancroft unranium sites. Where are we going and who is in charge?" (PDF). Canadian Institute for Radiation Safety. 1 May 1987. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
  5. McDougall, Raymond (2019-09-03). "Mineral Highlights from the Bancroft Area, Ontario, Canada". Rocks & Minerals. 94 (5): 408–419. doi:10.1080/00357529.2019.1619134. ISSN 0035-7529. S2CID 201298402. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
  6. Grey Hawk Miner Killed By Falling Rock, Bancroft Times, 1958.
  7. Bin Daud, Mohamad (June 1980). A Study of Uranium in Ground Water Around Greyhawk Mine, Bancroft, Ontario. McMaster University (thesis). Retrieved 2023-01-06.
  8. Veska, E. (Waterloo Univ., Ontario (Canada)); Cherry, J.A. (Waterloo Univ., Ontario (Canada)); Sharma, H.D. (Waterloo Univ., Ontario (Canada)) (October 1983). "Origin and subsurface migration of radionuclides from waste rock at an abandoned uranium mine near Bancroft, Ontario". University of Ottawa. Retrieved 2023-01-06 – via Atomic Energy Control Board, Ottawa, Ontario (Canada).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. "Record of Proceedings. Request for Exemption from Licensing the Greyhawk and Agnew Lake Closed Uranium Mines without Tailings" (PDF). Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
  10. "EWL Legacy Mine Properties Perpetual Management Strategy" (PDF). 1 May 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 January 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2021 – via International Atomic Energy Agency.
  11. "Regulatory Action – Ovintiv Canada ULC". Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. 2022-05-19. Retrieved 2022-06-23.
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