I worked on a lining and levelling gang for the Northern Alberta Railway in the summer of 1975. We were working on the lines in Peace River one day when an ore train came through from Pine Point. If I recall correctly, the train had six locomotives. The brakes on the train had to be heavily deployed in order to avoid a runaway as the train descended the banks of the river valley into the town of Peace River. As a result, you could only see the first few rail cars. All of the rest were lost in the smoke from the brake shoes. It looked as though the train was on fire.
WOW. Not many folks can say they were from Pine Point. I use to fly over the town site on route to Yellowknife. That's as close as I ever got. Thanks for watching!
I worked in Pine Point in 1976 and 1977. Great town, great work, great company. I worked full time with Cominco for 20 years from 1980. I was doing some helicopter work in the area in 1990(?) and we flew in to see the school being torn down and the shopping mall being demolished. The salvage company had all the bathroom fixtures out in the parking lot from the hotel. The instant town was designed by Cominco to have all the houses built to be easily removed from their foundations. On decommissioning of the town, the plan was to take the houses across the lake on the ice to Yellowknife. But the local Yellowknife building and contractors groups objected as it would flood the market with cheap houses. A bunch of houses were transported by rail out to Hay River and sent south. The railway was also taken out after the last of the concentrate was moved out. There is still considerable ore left in the ground. But water ingress into the pits killed the mine. No amount of pumping or grouting the walls could keep the water out. Today all the old pits appear as beautiful lakes on Google Earth
Hey thanks for that info. Years ago I was working in Zama area and someone told me that some of those houses were moved to around Manning. When I worked in Norman Wells the plane use to fly over Pine Point on the way from Edmonton to Yellowknife. That's as close as I have ever got to Pine Point. Thanks again for watching.
I lived in Yellowknife and worked in the gold and diamond mines there throughout the 90s. I recall that there was still a lot of ore stockpiled in Pine Point and shares were still traded in the mine long after it closed.
Small world. Couple friends of mine worked at Lupin Echo Bay and real good buddy was at Snap Lake until closure. Someone else mentioned he heard they might be starting back up in Pine Point and I had read the same thing in the Northern Miner I think. Read it somewhere anyways. Hey thanks for commenting and for watching. Appreciate it!!
I heard there is talk about a mining company going back here to mine. They are doing exploration work at the moment. Thanks for watching. Always appreciated. pinepointmining.com/
Thank you for documenting our mining history in ways that give more research topics for everyone's personal research agendas. In our mining past, base metal minable deposits were more valuable than precious metal deposits. Then and now we need our base metals mined first before we mine our precious metals. The only difference is the scaling of the amount of mined elements for profitability that is controlled by the world market surpluses and deficits (2021 palladium $4,000/oz).
I remember very well when palladium was around $3500. I have an ounce that I paid $325 for and was thinking .... geeez I'm up 1000%. Maybe it'll go higher. LOL. I still have that 1 ounce. Thank you for watching. New video every Saturday.
@@oldlostminer I was just little kid at the time and do remember a few things like the elementary and Sunday school and the set up of trailers with the all the history of the north displays of everything during winter . I also have a picture of me in the newspaper at Christmas time and a few of the " Pine Point " N.W.T.T embroidered patches and souvenir spoon ❤️
My former employer had some work up there. An employee assigned to my dept was up there but I had nothing to do with him. I never knew what the work was up there. An accountant friend taught the local natives how to play musical instruments and took furs as payment. I bought a grizzly skin from him after he returned to Calgary, but he had silver fox and others. Maybe the wildlife will flourish with the mine gone now.
I know it's just a short video, but it's like the projector broke while watching a movie at the theater. (I'm Dating myself with that comment 😂) Can you please fix the projector and finish the movie?! I do enjoy your history lessons.
I worked on a lining and levelling gang for the Northern Alberta Railway in the summer of 1975. We were working on the lines in Peace River one day when an ore train came through from Pine Point. If I recall correctly, the train had six locomotives. The brakes on the train had to be heavily deployed in order to avoid a runaway as the train descended the banks of the river valley into the town of Peace River. As a result, you could only see the first few rail cars. All of the rest were lost in the smoke from the brake shoes. It looked as though the train was on fire.
Thank you for sharing and for watching. It's appreciated.
Awww so many great memories made here.. my hometown from 1969 to 1985 ❤️
WOW. Not many folks can say they were from Pine Point. I use to fly over the town site on route to Yellowknife. That's as close as I ever got. Thanks for watching!
I worked in Pine Point in 1976 and 1977. Great town, great work, great company. I worked full time with Cominco for 20 years from 1980.
I was doing some helicopter work in the area in 1990(?) and we flew in to see the school being torn down and the shopping mall being demolished. The salvage company had all the bathroom fixtures out in the parking lot from the hotel.
The instant town was designed by Cominco to have all the houses built to be easily removed from their foundations. On decommissioning of the town, the plan was to take the houses across the lake on the ice to Yellowknife. But the local Yellowknife building and contractors groups objected as it would flood the market with cheap houses. A bunch of houses were transported by rail out to Hay River and sent south. The railway was also taken out after the last of the concentrate was moved out.
There is still considerable ore left in the ground. But water ingress into the pits killed the mine. No amount of pumping or grouting the walls could keep the water out. Today all the old pits appear as beautiful lakes on Google Earth
Hey thanks for that info. Years ago I was working in Zama area and someone told me that some of those houses were moved to around Manning. When I worked in Norman Wells the plane use to fly over Pine Point on the way from Edmonton to Yellowknife. That's as close as I have ever got to Pine Point.
Thanks again for watching.
Good morning, thanks for the share, take care.
Good morning! Thanks for watching!
I lived in Yellowknife and worked in the gold and diamond mines there throughout the 90s. I recall that there was still a lot of ore stockpiled in Pine Point and shares were still traded in the mine long after it closed.
Small world. Couple friends of mine worked at Lupin Echo Bay and real good buddy was at Snap Lake until closure. Someone else mentioned he heard they might be starting back up in Pine Point and I had read the same thing in the Northern Miner I think. Read it somewhere anyways.
Hey thanks for commenting and for watching. Appreciate it!!
Great story, thank you.
Thanks for watching this morning.
Good story
Thank you! 🙂
Well that is alot of history packed in that area.⛏️😀
I heard there is talk about a mining company going back here to mine. They are doing exploration work at the moment. Thanks for watching. Always appreciated. pinepointmining.com/
Thank you for documenting our mining history in ways that give more research topics for everyone's personal research agendas. In our mining past, base metal minable deposits were more valuable than precious metal deposits. Then and now we need our base metals mined first before we mine our precious metals. The only difference is the scaling of the amount of mined elements for profitability that is controlled by the world market surpluses and deficits (2021 palladium $4,000/oz).
I remember very well when palladium was around $3500. I have an ounce that I paid $325 for and was thinking .... geeez I'm up 1000%. Maybe it'll go higher. LOL. I still have that 1 ounce. Thank you for watching. New video every Saturday.
I used to live in Pine point! 1976 to 1979.
There are not many who can say they lived in Pine Point. Good for you!! Thank you for watching!
@@oldlostminer I was just little kid at the time and do remember a few things like the elementary and Sunday school and the set up of trailers with the all the history of the north displays of everything during winter . I also have a picture of me in the newspaper at Christmas time and a few of the " Pine Point " N.W.T.T embroidered patches and souvenir spoon ❤️
My former employer had some work up there. An employee assigned to my dept was up there but I had nothing to do with him. I never knew what the work was up there. An accountant friend taught the local natives how to play musical instruments and took furs as payment. I bought a grizzly skin from him after he returned to Calgary, but he had silver fox and others. Maybe the wildlife will flourish with the mine gone now.
Thank you for watching. Appreciate it.
Interesting, thanks
Thank you for watching.
A guy I once worked with grew up there, and told me how the whole place was taken down!
Thanks for watching. I appreciate it!!
I know it's just a short video, but it's like the projector broke while watching a movie at the theater. (I'm Dating myself with that comment 😂) Can you please fix the projector and finish the movie?!
I do enjoy your history lessons.
I have some longer videos coming up in the weeks ahead. Lead and zinc are kind of boring so thus the short video. LOL ...Thanks for watching!
Leaf and Zinc deposits produce some excellent mineral specimens @@oldlostminer
i have a draft glass from that legion.
A souvenir for sure. Thanks for watching.
..the mine might re-open again in a few more years...
You know I was reading something about that. I think it was in the northern miner. Thanks for watching. Appreciate it!
What no "GOLD" ah shucks good story anyway thanks pal.
Yah no gold. That's why its just real short video. Thanks for watching.
@@oldlostminer you got brother see ya next Saturday !
Well lots of history you found thank you for the adventure ⛏️😀