| It was as early as 1922, when uranium was found
on property in of one North Hastings nearby townships, Monmouth, near Cardiff.
In 1953 the excavating began at Centre Lake Uranium Mines Limited; which
became the Bicroft Mine. It was the opening engagement of a struggle to
find new deposits, which saw a 100 area prospects that opened between 1953
& 1956.
Four of these 100 became producing mines: Bicroft Mine in Cardiff - 1956
to 1963, Greyhawk Mine - 1957 to 1959, Canadian Dyno Mine - 1958 to 1960,
and the mine in Faraday.
The longest producing mine belonged to Bancroft's, Arthur H. Shore. His
long quest for a bonanza was rewarded in 1949 by official confirmation
of his uranium discovery.
In February of 1957 the unionization of Faraday's uranium worker's who
chose 1006 Bancroft Mine & Mill Worker's Union to represent their
interests as collective bargaining agents.
On April 4th, 1957, ore first reached the concentrator and 10 days later,
the first uranium precipitate was produced. The initial production treated
1000 tons a day, and was increased to 1600 tons daily.
"All went merry as a marriage bell" as Byron phrases, until
a decline in world markets at first reduced production, then one by one
closed all four operative mines.
Faraday was the last to shut down after milling 3 million tons of ore
producing 5.8 million pounds of uranium oxide worth $54 billion dollars.
Loss of such large payrolls was a crippling blow to the economy of the
Bancroft Village.
The Faraday mine was reactivated for 18 months in 1976. This gave the
village time to rethink objectives and diversify its industrial base.
It was Father Maloney who remained the Industrial Commissioner while the
village fought and won its battle to survive.
The three other inactive mines have become grounds for Rockhounders since
1964. Bancroft is world famous for its sodalite, hackmenite, amazonite
and rare earth minerals. Locals have already been gathering specimens
of the 1600 types of minerals occurring within' a 50 mile radius. A Mineral
society seemed logical and was then formed on May 16th, 1960.
At the Old McDonald Mine there are over 50 varieties of minerals that
have been picked up.
Source:
Bancroft - A Bonanza of Memories
Nila Y. Reynolds
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