Location | |
---|---|
Location | McGarry |
Province | Ontario |
Country | Canada |
Coordinates | 48°08′19″N 79°34′39″W / 48.13861°N 79.57750°W |
Production | |
Products | Gold |
Production | 12 million ounces |
Greatest depth | 1,829 metres |
History | |
Active | Early 1900s: marginally active 1920-1923: exploration 1936-1963: operational 1990-1996: operational |
Owner | |
Company | Golden Candle Ltd |
Local impacts | |
Pollution | Cyanide |
Impacted | Larder Lake |
The Kerr–Addison Mine (also known as the Kerr Mine) is an abandoned Canadian gold mine in the Kearns area of McGarry, Ontario. In 1960, the mine was the largest producer of gold in North America. The mine produced the second most gold overall in North America, with the Homestake Mine being the leader.
The mine is located in basalt of the Abitibi gold belt area in what became the Timiskaming District.
Gold ore was initially discovered at the mine's location around 1900 by Teme-Augama Anishnabai chief Ignace Tonené. European settlers stole Tonené's claim to the ore and started small-scale mining. Production was initially low, but increased from 1936 until its peak in 1960. Employees unionised in 1943. Ore extraction ended in 1960 and production completely stopped in 1963. The increase in global gold prices caused the mine to reopen from 1990 until 1996, by which time over 12 million ounces had been produced. Tailings from the operation were dumped in Larder Lake.
Ownership of the mine changed several times, owners included Golden Shield Resources, a subsidiary of Deak Resources, AJ Perron, and Armistice Resources Corporation, which changed its name to Kerr Mine Ltd. Kerr Mine became Arizona Gold and sold its assets to Golden Candle Limited. Throughout the transfers surface and mining rights did not always stay with the same corporation, although the latest owner, Golden Candle, now holds both.